The Blind Trainer's Pokemon Journey: Volume 1
by ObsidianGreninja
Summary: The last thing Damon Pierce remembered seeing was an old home video of one of his father's Pokémon battles. Ever since that day, he has not seen anything at all, but his determination to follow in his father's footsteps and become a Pokémon Trainer has never left him. Now he's an Academy graduate with a Trainer Card. Now he's ready to fully realize his dream.
1. Graduation Day

"Torterra, use Stone Edge!" Harold Pierce, nineteen, shouted.

A massive quadruped with an impressive tree growing on its back lifted up onto its hind legs before slamming its front legs down onto the battlefield. Pointed stones were then fired off at the opponent's Pokémon, a bipedal simian with a flaming head, battering the Fire-type down to a single knee.

The video paused and Harold Pierce, twenty-six, set the remote down on the neighboring couch cushion. His blue eyes focused on Damon, his five-year-old son, who sat on the floor by his feet. Damon rubbed his eyes and then looked up at his father with a bright grin.

"Did you see that, son? I was never worried about Torterra facing a Fire-type like Infernape, because of his Ground-typing," Harold explained.

"Daddy. My eyes hurt," Damon responded.

Harold paused a moment. It was late. Damon was probably just tired. He cleared his throat and resumed the video of his first League battle. Harold watched his younger self quickly finish his opponent's Infernape off with a powerful Earthquake.

"See, son!" Harold exclaimed, "It's great to have your Pokémon know a variety of move types! In this battle, Torterra used Grass, Rock, and Ground-type attacks that…"

"My eyes _hurt_," Damon cut his father off with a complaint.

Harold looked down at his son and smiled affectionately. He picked him up and set Damon on his lap. He was just tired. Harold was only going to keep him up for a moment longer. Harold ruffled his son's black hair.

"Types are both important and unimportant. They can make and break a battle, or be completely useless. What will _always _be important in a battle is the Trainer's intelligence," Harold explained, "You'll see when you begin Trainer School."

"Daddy… I can't see," Damon revealed.

"Huh?" Harold responded, confused.

He turned Damon around and Harold stared into his young son's dulling blue eyes. Harold's own blue eyes widened and he felt his heart drop suddenly.

"I can't see," Damon added, tears forming in his continually dulling eyes, "I can't see, Daddy."

_~Thirteen Years Later~_

It was a morning like any other for Damon Pierce slumbered peacefully in his bed. A white cane rested against the wall between his bed and nightstand. An alarm clock, sunglasses, and a specially made Holo Caster sat on the nightstand. The clock ticked to six o'clock and immediately started buzzing, waking Damon.

"Six o'clock a.m.," the clock told him in a monotonous voice.

Damon groaned, rolling onto his side to face the clock. He listened to it buzz and repeatedly tell him the time until it was six-o-one in the morning before reaching toward the alarm clock. Damon felt the top of its smooth surface until he found the oversized snooze button. With the alarm clock silenced, Damon rolled back onto his back, and snuggled further into his blanket.

A knock on his bedroom door cut off Damon's attempt to fall back asleep and he glared angrily at the ceiling. The door opened and an aged Harold stepped inside. Salt had sprinkled into his black pepper hair and he smiled affectionately at his grumbling son.

"You know you can't sleep in on your big day, right?" Harold asked him.

"Obviously not," Damon responded, swinging his legs around so he could sit at the edge of his bed.

Damon had grown into a handsome, young man with his black hair short and manageable. His dull blue eyes stared blankly wherever his face pointed. He had a lean, average build and stood just under six feet tall. Some light stubble adorned his face and Damon knew he would have to go to his barber to be nice and clean-shaven again.

Harold fought the urge to help his son reach for his cane. Damon grabbed the cane and used it to detect anything that he could trip over. There was nothing in the vicinity, so Damon stood. He reached back onto his nightstand and grabbed the pair of sunglasses. Damon kept them folded and slid one of the temples behind his shirt, so his glasses would hang against his chest. He swished his cane back and forth as he approached his father.

Harold stepped out of the way to allow his son to leave his bedroom. Damon kept his free hand on the wall and glided it against the cool surface while slowly walking toward the bathroom. The first door on the right from Damon's bedroom meant he arrived at his destination. He opened the door and disappeared into the bathroom.

It had been thirteen years since Damon first lost his eyesight due to a rare genetic disorder carried from his mother's side of the family. It had been thirteen years of struggling to adapt to a world he could no longer see. It had been thirteen years of Harold blaming himself for it all.

After getting himself hygienically ready for the day, Damon slowly descended the stairs to the ground floor of his home. The smell of fresh fruit and pancakes filled his nose and he smiled.

"You didn't have to make breakfast," Damon told his father.

"Of course I did," Harold responded, "You're graduating today, and I couldn't be prouder."

Damon continued smiling as he tapped his cane over to the kitchen in search of the table. He found one of the chairs and pulled it out for himself to sit on. Harold once again had to fight the urge to help his son out. Damon had become so independent over the past couple of years. He had gotten sick of always needing someone's help due to his disability, so Damon had put all of his focus and energy into the senses he had. It allowed him to smell exactly what food his father was cooking from the other room. All of the sensory training Damon put himself through allowed him to reasonably reach to his dream of becoming a Pokémon Trainer.

Despite the disability, Damon could react quickly enough to sound that he could still perform admirably in a battle. He placed a respectable third place in his class at Trainer School. It was enough for him to automatically be given a Trainer Card, the license every Pokémon Trainer would need to pursue the profession. All Damon had to do was deal with a lengthy graduation ceremony in which he would be forced to stand around at school for hours. First, at noon, was the practice ceremony where the headmaster would instruct the graduating class what they can and cannot do during the actual graduation ceremony, which was not until five o'clock in the evening.

There was a knock on the front door and Damon moved to stand, but Harold cut him off by placing the finished pancake platter and fresh fruit in front of his son.

"I got this, kiddo. Eat your fill," Harold told him.

Damon did not need to be told twice to eat his fill of one of his favorite breakfast dishes. He grabbed a fork and knife his father left beside the plate and stabbed three pancakes at once, transferring them over from the platter to his plate. Damon smelled the fresh Berries and located the Oran Berries amidst the variety. They were his favorite, so Damon topped his pancakes with them. The overload of scents prevented him from noticing the new scent entering his home. The clinking of silverware scraping against his plate deafened the approach of ankle boots. The sweet, fluffiness of the pancakes and balanced flavor of the Oran Berry distracted Damon enough for Savannah Hawthorne to sneak up on him.

He felt arms snake around his chest as Savannah hugged him from behind. Her long, wavy, red hair tickled either side of his face. Damon felt something firm pressed against the back of his head. That was the final detail he needed to identify who was hugging him. Damon knew the feel of those breasts anywhere.

"Hey babe," he greeted his girlfriend with a mouth full of food.

"Oh no. You made him pancakes?" Savannah asked Harold as she pulled a chair up to sit next to Damon.

Savannah met Damon when her family moved to Vaniville Town five years ago and she started attending Trainer School alongside him. It was a definite meet cute moment when they first came into contact. Savannah had hit puberty early and "the new girl's bust" had already become a hot topic of her first day. Someone thought it would be funny to shove Damon, who had yet to perfect his coordination, into the new girl. Naturally he shot out his hands to catch himself onto _anything_, and unfortunately he did so right onto Savannah's breasts. She failed to recognize he was blind until after she knocked him out with a single punch. Fast forward five years, and Damon and the redheaded knockout were in a relationship for the past three.

Savannah was average height for a Kalosian woman, five feet, four inches tall, and as mentioned before boasted an impressive bust that she both loved and hated at the same time. Her fire red hair flowed down past her shoulders like a flaming waterfall. She had sparkling green eyes that could just light up whenever she felt excited about something. Freckles speckled her body seemingly from head to toe. Everything about her was heat, fire, and passion and Damon did not need to be able to see her to know she was beautiful.

"Are you excited about graduating, Savannah?" Harold asked as he served her a couple pancakes before taking the rest.

He was always prepared for the occasional Savannah visit and promptly cooked extra for her. In cases where she did not visit or had already eaten or simply was not hungry at the time, he and Damon would happily eat the leftovers.

"I'm just happy to finally leave this Arceus forsaken town and see the world," Savannah admitted.

"Wow… bragging about seeing the world. Real nice, babe," Damon joked and was promptly punched on the shoulder.

Savannah shook her head while Damon and Harold stifled respective laughter. She took another bite of her food and felt immensely at ease with them for company. It was a stark improvement to her home life between her mother constantly riding her for every little "imperfection" and her father just… being there, drinking. The thought of it all ruined the moment of peace Savannah had. Damon suddenly reached out and squeezed her knee reassuringly as if he could sense her mood shift.

After breakfast, Damon and Savannah returned to the former's bedroom where he closed the door enough to be within his father's 'No Closed Doors' policy. Savannah had made herself at home atop Damon's bed and he approached, leaning his cane against the wall near where he then sat beside her.

"We graduate and then we meet with Professor Sycamore tomorrow," Damon stated, "I can't believe the day's finally here."

"I _know_," Savannah responded, leaning into Damon's shoulder, "I wish we could skip the ceremony and just… _leave _already though."

"I agree, and we would, but my Dad _really _wants to see me graduate," Damon told her.

"I get it," Savannah softly spoke in return, "Wanna make a bet for how drunk my Dad will be?"

"That's beyond messed up," Damon admitted.

"It is," Savannah agreed, "I say you could smell the whiskey on his breath."

Damon smirked and shook his head. He felt… wrong talking about her father in such a disrespectful way. While he had a habit to drink quite too much, and during inappropriate times, he was always kind to Damon. Savannah's mother, on the other hand, disapproved of their relationship wholeheartedly, and was not afraid to voice that disapproval. She often failed in understanding that Damon was _just _blind; not blind and deaf, because he overheard every little remark she made about how he was too "damaged" for her daughter. Savannah was a bit off, and Damon did not need to see to realize this.

"Something happen at home?" he asked.

"No. Why do you ask?" Savannah responded.

"I just… got a vibe is all," Damon explained, "You can always talk to me, Red."

"It was just the same old brand of shit. My Mom got on my ass about _only _being the second best Trainer in our year and my Dad… just asked for a drink," Savannah responded.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pressed," Damon apologized.

Savannah nodded in agreement and then sighed. Damon knew she needed a distraction, so he slid across her lap to the leg opposite from where he sat beside her. Savannah smirked and interlocked her fingers against the back of Damon's neck.

"How long until your Dad comes to check on us?" she asked.

"Long enough for us to have _some _fun," Damon responded, quickly pecking her on her lips.

Savannah grinned, laying back on his bed, and bringing Damon down on top of her. He laughed a little bit and started kissing her collarbone. Savannah quickly got tired of being on her back and rolled Damon onto his. She straddled his lap and they made out heatedly, grinding her body against his. Damon slid a hand up the side of Savannah's body, starting to lift her shirt, and reveal her pale, freckled torso. Damon managed to cup a breast in his hand, palming it like a Watmel Berry, but then his bedroom door burst open. Savannah shot to her feet and adjusted her clothes. Harold cocked an eyebrow at the young couple as Damon sat up sheepishly.

"I'm not ready to be a grandfather, nor am I ready to lose my son to your mother's wrath," he stated.

"Got it, Mr. Pierce," Savannah responded, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"Are you done embarrassing the living hell out of us, Dad?" Damon asked.

"Nope. Never gonna be done doing that, kiddo. Just wait until your wedding," Harold responded.

"Go _away_!" Damon exclaimed, chucking a pillow in the general direction of his father's voice.

It hit the wall beside the door, but Harold took the message, and left without closing the door one bit. Damon lay back, closing his eyes tightly, and then Savannah lay next to him. The mention of marriage sent Damon in for a loop. He and Savannah had been dating for three years up to this point. They said the L-word. They have had sex. Were they now expected to marry now that school was behind them? Damon wondered what she was thinking.

"Your Dad's always so funny," she told him, "I wish my parents were more like him."

"He's embarrassing, but he loves me. He loves you, too. Hell, I think he loves you more than he loves me," Damon responded, opening his eyes.

"I _know _he loves me more than you, because I'm just that awesome," Savannah countered.

Damon chuckled and shook his head. Savannah turned onto her side and kissed his cheek.

"Don't worry about being interrupted, sweetie. We'll be _all _alone starting tomorrow," she whispered into his ear seductively while rubbing a hand against his crotch.

Damon could not help but smile. He put off his prior worries and started playing with Savannah's boobs, making her laugh. The sweet sound filled his ears and Damon kept on grinning.

The practice ceremony was long and tedious and annoying as all hell, but it was a requirement for all who wished to graduate at the real ceremony later tonight. Damon sat toward the back of the class as they were all sorted by their last names. He wished to have the last name Hayes or Hart so he could sit next to Savannah, but here he was sitting a couple rows away from her.

It was also hot out. Why could they not graduate in November or December? Who wanted to sit out in the sweltering heat of a stupid June day? Damon sighed with annoyance, pinching the bridge of his nose, and then stood up alongside his row as they were called to do their practice march. They were instructed not to do any kind of speech, gesture, or celebratory maneuver during the ceremony. All they could do was walk up on stage, thank the Headmaster, and obtain their diploma.

It was such a tedious time that this writer could not care any less to write about it much longer. Fourth wall be damned.

Damon found himself doing the very thing he had practiced hours beforehand. Luckily it was much cooler outside. When his row was called up, he slowly trekked alongside them, and rejected a staff member's assistance up the stairs to the stage. Damon received his diploma and then hurried back to his seat as fast as he felt comfortable going. He felt the cool, laminated surface of his certificate and smiled to himself.

After the graduation ceremony ended, Damon found himself being pushed around by the escaping former students. No one had any respect for the blind guy. He took it out on their ankles and shins; however, viciously swatting his cane against them in a desperate attempt to avoid being trampled by the crowd. Finally, he tripped, and fell face-first into something familiarly soft and firm.

"Hey Savannah," Damon greeted into her breasts.

He righted himself and could smell whiskey. Oh dear Arceus, Damon realized, he had just face planted into Savannah's chest in front of her parents.

"Ahem… I'd say watch where you're going, but we all know that's impossible," Savannah's mother, Susanna chimed in.

"_Mom_," Savannah warned.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Damon," Susanna stated as unconvincingly as possible, "Congratulations on graduating."

"Nice to see you as well, Susie," Damon responded.

He could feel the venom in her stare and heard Savannah choking back laughter. The stench of whiskey on Larry Hawthorne's breath continued assaulting Damon as he put an arm around his shoulders.

"We're _very _proud of you, _dude_," Larry stated.

"Thank you, Mr. Hawthorne," Damon responded, using his cane to lift the older man's arm off of his person.

Larry did not care and simply took out a flask to drink its emptiness away. Savannah sighed in defeat, but then Damon found her hand to hold. Susanna looked down at the hand holding display and cocked an eyebrow in annoyance.

"Come along, Savannah," she ordered her daughter.

"Yeah, no. I was gonna spend some time with Damon. I'll be home later tonight," Savannah responded.

"That was not a request," Susanna pointed out haughtily.

"Good for you, Mom, but neither was my response," Savannah countered.

Damon imagined an announcer hyping up the festering mother/daughter brawl. Neither woman backed down. They needed a miracle.

"There you guys are!" Harold exclaimed, pushing his way through the flood of students and their families to them.

Angels sang at the arrival of Harold Pierce. Damon felt like dropping to his knees and praising the heavenly light that was his father. Susanna gave him a tired look.

"Hello Harold," she greeted him.

"Hey Susie. Hey Larry. Whew! Larry! You smell like a bar!" Harold exclaimed, laughing to himself.

Susanna found herself turning red as some of the parents looked their way. She grabbed her husband's shoulder and started leading him away from the crowd.

"Come along, Savannah!" she barked.

"I'll drop her off later tonight! I was gonna take the lovely couple out to dinner to celebrate their accomplishments," Harold responded.

Susanna scoffed haughtily and relented, dragging her intoxicated husband away. Once they were both out of sight, Harold turned toward the freshly-graduated young adults.

"Do you two have to leave tomorrow?" he asked them, "I think your Mom might wind up poisoning me after that stunt."

"Looks like I have a funeral to plan," Damon told Savannah.

"I'll help as much as I can, sweetie. I'm _so _sorry for your loss," she responded.

"Alright you pesky kids! Let's go get some food in our bellies!" Harold exclaimed, marching off toward the parking lot.

Damon and Savannah did not need to be told twice about heading off for free food. They followed Harold through the sea of people to the parking lot, climbed into the backseat of his truck together, and Harold drove off away from the Central Kalosian Trainer School.


	2. The Beginning to the Rest of Your Lives

The next morning, Damon stood at the foot of his stairs with a duffle bag by his feet. Harold fought back tears as he triple checked to make sure his son would have everything he needed for the journey. A guttural growl emitted from the backyard as Torterra stared sadly into the house. He reminisced on the small child Damon once was playing on his back. The memory of how Torterra had to adjust himself when Damon lost his sight also crossed the giant Pokémon's mind. Torterra cried out in anguish again and tears started flowing down his face.

"It's okay, Tor-Tor! I'll come back home!" Damon called out to the grieving Pokémon.

"I've seen him take on three Gyarados at once. Now he's so delicate and picks daisies. You have ruined my tough baby," Harold scolded.

Damon shrugged and smirked to himself. Harold finally finished checking over his son's bags. Damon was glad he did not check his person, because Harold would not be happy to find the TM-17 brand condoms in his wallet.

"Your mother would be so proud of you," Harold spoke softly.

Damon paused and his shoulders slumped. His mother passed away giving birth to him. Damon never met her. All he had of her were the memories passed down from his father and the genetic disorder that took away his sight. It was a genetic disorder he could pass down to his own children. All of this and more ran through Damon's mind.

"I know, Dad," he responded.

Damon reached down and lifted his duffle bag off the floor. He shouldered the load and trekked off toward the front door. Harold followed Damon closely and watched as his only child opened the door. Savannah was waiting outside on the porch with her own duffle bag on her shoulders.

"Ready to go?" she asked.

Harold suddenly latched onto Damon and shot a hateful glare at the redhead. She blinked a couple times too many, taken aback by the older man's sudden reaction.

"No. You can_not_ take my son," Harold declared.

"_Dad_," Damon grumbled with a sigh.

"Mr. Pierce…," Savannah tried responding.

Harold hissed at her and Damon fought from his father's grip. He swatted at Harold's knee, snapping the older man back to his senses. Harold looked apologetically at Savannah, lowering his head in shame.

"I will be back," Damon assured his father, "Nothing bad will happen to me. I'll have Savannah watching my back the entire time."

"I _know_, but it doesn't make this any easier for me, kiddo," Harold responded, tears brimming in his eyes.

Damon embraced his father tightly and Harold returned the gesture. Harold looked over his son's shoulder to Savannah and motioned for her to join the embrace. She _was _basically family at this point anyway. Savannah smiled and joined the hug as well. Harold eventually released them and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Call me _every _day. Tell me everything you've accomplished," Harold instructed.

"I will," Damon responded, "Remember, Dad… this isn't goodbye… it's see you later."

Harold nodded and watched as Damon and Savannah left his property. They turned up the sidewalk and Harold watched them until they disappeared from view. He sighed heavily in defeat and leaned against the frame of his front door.

"I wonder if I can turn his bedroom into a home theater?" he asked himself, stroking his chin, "My measuring tape has to be around here somewhere."

He disappeared back into his home in search of the tool. So much for the emotional turmoil of his son leaving home for the first time.

Damon and Savannah trekked across Vaniville Town. Damon had her hand in his left and his cane in his right as he scouted the path ahead for any obstacles. It was not a lack of trust in Savannah's ability to avoid guiding him into an open manhole; it was instead an added precaution for Damon to avoid the slightly upraised sidewalk she would not even notice.

"Did your Mom give you the riot act last night when you got home?" Damon asked.

"What do you think?" Savannah responded, "She _really _hates you."

Damon smirked. While he would prefer to have the approval of his girlfriend's parents; he knew to avoid pleasing someone who would never be pleased with him. Especially when the reason behind their displeasure was something he could not fix.

"I'm sorry though," Savannah added, "It sucks my Mom doesn't think you're good enough simply because you're blind."

"I'm used to people treating me differently because of my disability though," Damon responded, "Even you treated me differently at first."

"How so?" Savannah asked in surprise.

"The first time we met," Damon responded with a dry laugh, "You rightfully knocked me out for groping you, but then _you_ were all apologetic the moment you found out I was blind."

"I felt bad for breaking a blind kid's nose!" Savannah exclaimed, smiling, "That's, like, three years bad luck."

"Well we've been together for three years which caused your relationship with your mother to sour, so your bad luck's over now that we're leaving our families behind," Damon responded, squeezing her hand.

Savannah grinned and reached over with her free hand to grab onto Damon's arm. The couple continued the trek across Vaniville Town before coming to a stop at the gate leading out into the Vaniville Pathway. It was a short, narrow route with forest on either side that stretched between two of the smaller towns in the Kalos Region.

"Ready?" Savannah asked.

"Always," Damon responded.

Both stepped out of Vaniville Town, effectively beginning their journeys. The morning sun shone brightly overhead as the couple continued on their way toward Aquacorde Town where they were scheduled to meet with Professor Augustine Sycamore. Having placed in the top three of their class, Damon and Savannah were allowed to meet with the Pokémon Professor in order to choose their partners. They would be joined with one other, the top Trainer in their class, Tyrell James.

The trip through Vaniville Pathway was short and uneventful, a step up from this fan fiction writer's nonexistent sex life, and Damon and Savannah were now in Aquacorde Town.

Aquacorde Town was a rustic scene with a bevy of shops and cafes. Early Kalosian settlers were quick to set up in this pristine location due to its close approximation to a sparkling river.

Savannah led the way to the tables outside a café and pulled a chair out for Damon to sit on. She put her hands on her hips and leaned forward a bit.

"Hello, sir. What can I get for you today?" Savannah asked him.

"Don't make me go up to the counter and order for us. I _will _make you look bad," Damon threatened.

"Fine. No coffee for you," Savannah countered.

"No, wait! Just kidding… I'll take a caramel latte. Thank you so much to my wonderful, gorgeous, intelligent girlfriend," Damon responded.

"Damn right," Savannah told him, turning around.

He heard her sneakers scrape against the concrete, so Damon knew she had her back to him. Judging by the lack of departing footsteps and how close her voice was, he knew she was still within arm's reach, so he swung his hand in an upwards motion to grab her rear, pinching it. Savannah leaped forward a bit and turned back to Damon with a gasp.

"Just you wait, punk," she threatened.

"Whatever you say, sweet cheeks," Damon responded.

Savannah giggled a little bit, letting Damon know she held no ill will toward his act. He was the only one on this planet who could get away with a stunt like that. Savannah departed for the café in order to fetch them some coffee. Damon sat at the table, absent-mindedly tapping his cane against the leg of an adjacent chair. He heard footsteps approaching him from a direction that Savannah did _not _leave in. Damon went still and gripped his cane tightly. He had been robbed before, but he promised himself to never be taken advantage of again.

He swung his cane out at the person approaching him from behind, but stopped before he made contact with them. He heard a surprised yelp and immediately recognized the voice.

"Dude! What the _hell_!?" Tyrell James asked.

"Why are you sneaking up on a blind man?" Damon asked, lowering his cane, "Especially since you know how often I've been robbed."

"I wasn't expecting you to go all batter-up with my head!" Tyrell shouted.

Tyrell James was a short, stocky, dark-skinned man and the top Trainer in his, Savannah, and Damon's class. He had short and curly, platinum blonde hair and dark brown eyes. Tyrell and Damon had a friendly rivalry that the former often became victorious in.

"Sorry about that, but you should've said hi or whatever," Damon grumbled.

"Can't you smell my cologne or something?" Tyrell asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I _choose _to ignore that stench," Damon countered.

Tyrell mockingly gasped, clutching a hand to his chest, and then he sat down adjacent to Damon. He leaned back in his chair and scanned the surrounding area for a certain redhead.

"Where's Savannah at?" he asked.

"Café," Damon responded.

"You're so lucky, dude. You snagged a total babe," Tyrell told him.

"Too bad I can't see how much of a babe she is," Damon replied.

Tyrell chuckled and shook his head. He leaned forward and over toward Damon.

"Trust me; that's a good thing. If you knew how fugly you were; you'd be all self-conscious and shit. It'd be pathetic," he whispered to Damon.

Damon rolled his eyes and then heard the familiar footsteps approaching from where Savannah had gone off in. She stopped briefly when she saw Tyrell and then nodded a greeting his way since her hands were full. She sat down across from Damon and handed his coffee over.

"Are you corrupting my boyfriend, Tyrell?" she asked, narrowing her green eyes at him.

"O-Of course not!" Tyrell nervously responded.

"He called you a total babe and said I was fugly," Damon revealed, carefully picking up his latte.

He sipped the warm, sweet drink and smirked as Savannah turned her rage onto Tyrell. Despite being four inches shorter than he was, Savannah easily towered over him with her anger alone.

"I meant it nothing more than as a compliment," Tyrell told her.

"I could care less about you calling me a babe. I _know _I'm a babe. You don't call my boyfriend fugly without me hurting you," Savannah responded.

"You tell him, sweetie," Damon chimed in from her corner of the ring.

He sipped his latte again and smirked like the little troublesome shithead he was. Savannah had her hands on her hips, now standing beside Tyrell, and she was leaned over so she could be in his face. Tyrell did everything humanly possible to refrain from looking at the cleavage very near to his person.

"One punch," Savannah told him his punishment.

"Just do it to my left arm. My right is still bruised from when I took Damon's fries last week," Tyrell grumbled, surrendering his left arm.

Savannah curled a fist and punched Tyrell's left shoulder, leaving him wincing from the blow. She returned to her seat, satisfied with herself, and cast a look over to Damon.

"Thanks, dear," he told her.

"No problem, honey," she responded.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Tyrell grumbled, feigning an illness.

"What was that, meat?" Savannah asked.

"N-Nothing at all!" Tyrell squealed.

Damon laughed to himself and leaned contently back in his chair. He felt truly blessed he had good friends like Savannah and Tyrell. Yeah, they were his girlfriend and rival respectively, but they were his friends first and foremost. Nothing could change that. Damon would not allow it to happen.

"Yo, so what time was the Professor supposed to come?" Tyrell asked.

"He told us ten, and it's now ten-fifteen," Savannah revealed.

"Must've been traffic. Lumiose City is a nightmare to navigate," Damon responded.

Unbeknownst to the young, soon-to-be Trainers, Professor Augustine Sycamore had already parked his Jeep, and was in search of them. He had only a few things to go off of for identifying them and that was the brief description his assistant had provided for him. One was a redheaded woman, another was a dark-skinned blonde man, and finally there was the brunette blind man. Professor Sycamore located Savannah first as her fiery mane was easy to spot, and he then approached their table.

"Bonjour young ones," Professor Sycamore greeted them, turning all three individual attentions onto himself, "Are we ready to become Pokémon Trainers?"

Tyrell shot to his feet and extended a hand out to the Pokémon Professor. He eagerly shook the older man's hand when Professor Sycamore returned the gesture. Savannah stood up next and greeted him with a handshake as well. Finally, Damon stood, but he simply nodded curtly at Professor Sycamore.

"Magnifique! I'm so happy to see all three of you have arrived on time," he told them, "Congratulations on your respective placements during your education as well."

"Thank you, sir. We all worked very hard to earn those placements," Tyrell spoke for the trio.

Professor Sycamore nodded and then moved his messenger bag from around his shoulders to the table between the four of them. He unzipped the bag and produced three Pokéballs.

"So who's first?" he asked.

"Me!" Damon, Savannah, and Tyrell all shouted in unison.

Professor Sycamore laughed heartily, wiping a tear from his eye. He beamed at the excited faces before him, but then he retracted the Pokéballs from their grasps. He held one in his right hand while keeping the other two in his left. With the click of its central button, Professor Sycamore expanded the Pokéball in his right hand. He pushed the centered button a second time and the Pokéball burst open to reveal the first of the three Pokémon. Professor Sycamore repeated this action two more times and all three Pokémon looked up at the humans standing around them.

"First, we have Chespin," Professor Sycamore introduced the Pokémon one-by-one.

Savannah and Tyrell looked down at the Grass-type, who was eagerly flexing for them. Chespin winked at Savannah, taking her aback, but amusing Tyrell enough for him to know which Pokémon he was likely to choose.

Professor Sycamore then dug out some twigs from his pocket and extended them out to the second Pokémon. She was hiding in the back nearest to the Professor since she trusted him the most out of all of the humans present. Professor Sycamore clicked his tongue to get the Pokémon's attention and she wagged a fluffy tail when she saw the twigs in his possession.

"This is Fennekin. She's rather shy, but anyone can gain her trust with the right snack," he explained.

Fennekin gnawed on one of the twigs, still wagging her tail. Savannah cooed softly at the adorableness of the Fire-type. She knew who she was going to pick. Finally, Professor Sycamore went for the final Pokémon, but he was no longer on the table.

"I think I've been chosen," Damon spoke up, turning everyone's attention to him.

The third Pokémon had claimed his shoulder for his own. Damon seemed a little nervous as he had no clue what the Pokémon looked like, so he was unsure whether it had claws or spikes or poisonous skin.

"Err… that's Froakie. He's an odd one, but he is an incredible judge of character," Professor Sycamore revealed.

"I believe we've chosen our Pokémon," Savannah spoke up.

"Really now?" Professor Sycamore asked in a surprised tone.

The three fledgling Trainers nodded, either standing by or with their choice. Professor Sycamore's smile grew wider and he extended his arms out wide.

"Magnifique!" he shouted, "I have a few more gifts for the lot of you and then I can get out of your hair, so you may begin your journeys!"

He dug back into his messenger bag and produced three Pokédexes of three different colors. Fittingly, he dispersed the green Pokédex to Tyrell, the red to Savannah, and then blue to Damon.

"They're voice-activated, so you may need to step away from each other so there is no confusion," Professor Sycamore explained.

Damon took a few steps away from the group, swishing his cane in front of him so he did not wind up running into a table or another person. He felt the surface of the Pokédex and smiled to himself. He had a Pokémon and a Pokédex now. He was effectively a Pokémon Trainer now. Damon's smile grew into a grin.

"Pokédex, on," he ordered.

Nothing. Right, he had to turn it on so it could identify his voice. Damon sighed and fiddled with the Pokédex until it beeped, signaling to him that it was turning on now.

"Hello. Welcome to Dexter Six-Point-O. I am Dexter. Please allow me to scan your Trainer Card so I may identify you," an automated voice requested.

Damon took out his wallet and fetched his Trainer Card. He struggled to find where the scanning range was, so Froakie snatched the Trainer Card from Damon's grasp, and held it in range of the Pokédex's scanner.

"Thank you, Froakie," Damon responded.

"Welcome, Damon Pierce, please say your name clearly so that I may identify your voice," Dexter spoke.

"Damon Pierce," he spoke clearly at his Pokédex.

"Voice registered. How may I help you, Damon?" Dexter confirmed and then asked.

"Scan Pokémon," Damon instructed.

Froakie readied himself as the Pokédex scanned him. A moment passed as both Trainer and Pokémon eagerly awaited.

"Froakie, the Bubble Frog Pokémon. It secretes flexible bubbles from its chest and back. The bubbles reduce the damage it would otherwise take when attacked," Dexter stated.

"Sounds good. Thank you, Dexter," Damon responded.

"You are welcome, Damon Pierce. If you need help with anything; please do not hesitate to ask," the Pokédex replied before going into sleep mode.

"Damon! Are you done yet!?" Savannah called over to him.

"Coming!" he called back.

He returned to the others and smiled as Froakie remained on his shoulder. Professor Sycamore's grin flashed between the trio before him. He then took out three five-packs of Pokéballs he had brought with him.

"You can use these to fill out your teams. Remember, you can have as many Pokémon as you can responsibly care for on your person at all times, but all League-official battles cap at six Pokémon per Trainer," Professor Sycamore revealed.

"Thanks, Professor," Tyrell responded, taking his Pokéballs.

As Damon and Savannah thanked Professor Sycamore as well, Tyrell turned on the former. He grinned, tapped on Damon's shoulder, and cracked his knuckles. Damon tilted his head toward Tyrell and lifted his eyebrows.

"Let's see how we do with our _own _Pokémon," Tyrell stated, "Let's battle."

The corners of Damon's mouth lifted with the challenge being made by his longtime rival. Tyrell beat him more times than not during their years in Trainer School. He was the number one Trainer for a reason, so Damon was determined to change things up now that they had their own Pokémon.

"You're on," he responded.


	3. The Rivalry Blooms

There was a clearing just outside of Aquacorde Town, and it was here that Damon and Tyrell took their places for their first official Pokémon battle. Savannah stood off to the side, holding Fennekin in her arms, and Professor Sycamore took his position as referee for the fledgling Trainers' battle.

"This will be a one-on-one battle between Damon Pierce and Tyrell James! I will call the match when I determine that either Pokémon is no longer able to continue!" Professor Sycamore called out.

Damon, knowing Froakie was on his shoulder for obvious reasons, reached up for the Water-type to smell his hand. He smirked and gently laid his hand over Froakie's head. The Water-type nuzzled his Trainer's hand and then hopped down from his shoulder. Damon breathed in deeply and relaxed his nerves. He heard footsteps approaching and the sweet smell of Pecha Berries. Damon felt a hand grasp his forearm and soft lips press against his cheek.

"You got this, babe," Savannah whispered encouragement into his ear.

The grip on his wrist left and footsteps leading away from Damon went silent. He smiled, feeling a lot less nervous about his coming battle against his longtime rival.

"Begin!" Professor Sycamore called out.

"Chespin, use Vine Whip!" Tyrell ordered.

A pair of vines shot out from the Grass-type's shoulders and zipped across the clearing to where Froakie stood. Damon could hear their approach and Froakie's eyes glanced back at his Trainer as he awaited the order to do _something_.

"Dodge," Damon countered.

Froakie leapt upwards with impressive agility and the Vine Whip stabbed into the earth where he was just standing. Everyone, but Damon had their attentions up to where Froakie was now hovering. His ascent came to a halt and the descent began.

"Swing your vines up at him, Chespin!" Tyrell continued on the offensive.

"Froakie, use your Frubble to pin Chespin's vines down," Damon countered.

Chespin leaned back in an attempt to swing his vines up from the earth, but sticky foam was thrown down onto them. He lurched forward, thrown off balance as wads of Frubble kept Chespin pinned to the ground. Once the Grass-type regained his footing, he fought fruitlessly to retract his vines or simply to free them from their sticky holding. Froakie landed on Chespin's vine right in front of the Grass-type. There was a cocky smirk on the Water-type's face.

"Pound!" Damon ordered.

White energy erupted around Froakie's fists and the Water-type spread his arms out wide before quickly collapsing them onto either side of Chespin's head. The blow discombobulated the Grass-type Pokémon, and Froakie leapt off the vines once they started to sway as well. He landed back in front of Damon where the Vine Whip protruded into the ground. Tyrell gritted his teeth as Chespin continued fighting off his disorientation. The Frubble began to give way and Damon heard the ripping of sticky foam lifting up from solid ground. He only had so much time before Chespin would be freed. He had to go on the offensive now.

"Bubble, Froakie!" he called out.

The Water-type jumped up and sprayed a bubbly flurry down onto Chespin. The impact knocked him off his feet and also freed the Grass-type's vines from the Frubble. They retracted back to Chespin and he slid across the clearing to Tyrell's feet. He was weakened from the two successful attacks hitting and he shook his head. The shell he wore as a helmet protected him from the majority of the blows though. Chespin glared at Froakie, unnerving the Water-type slightly. He didn't hold back at all during the battle, but his attacks only seemed to piss Chespin off.

"Now use Tackle!" Tyrell ordered.

Chespin ran forward, head lowered. Froakie readied himself to dodge the oncoming attack. Damon knew it was a trap and readied himself to the counter to his own counter with another counter.

"Dodge to the left!" he ordered.

Froakie leapt to the left out of Chespin's straightforward charge. Tyrell smirked, knowing full well Damon would dodge the attack rather than attempt to meet Chespin head-on.

"Chespin, stop! Catch Froakie with Vine Whip!" he called out.

"Block it with Frubble!" Damon countered, knowing he had to rely on Froakie's better agility.

Chespin slid to a halt as Froakie remained in the air from leaping out of the path of his Tackle. The Grass-type's vines shot out from his shoulders, aiming for Froakie, but the Water-type responded by chucking a wad of Frubble at the oncoming attack.

"Now lower your vines to vault yourself up!" Tyrell exclaimed.

Chespin hesitated; suddenly unsure what exactly his Trainer wanted him to do. This hesitation allowed the Frubble to get in closer than Tyrell wanted. Chespin did lower his vines out of the Frubble's path, and used them to vault himself upwards, but not in time to avoid the sticky foam. The Frubble stuck to Chespin's foot as he flipped over Froakie as the Water-type landed. Froakie turned to follow Chespin's trajectory, but failed to keep his attention on the real threat.

"Now bring your vines down onto Froakie!" Tyrell ordered.

Chespin twisted in midair and his vines cracked down onto Froakie's head, downing the Water-type into a cloud of dust. Damon's fists clenched as the countering match was won by Tyrell. Chespin landed opposite from where his Trainer stood, and close enough for Damon to hear the now familiar sound of Frubble sticking to the ground.

"Froakie, can you continue!?" he called out to his Pokémon.

Froakie croaked in response as he forced himself to stand. He saw his opponent's predicament before Chespin or Tyrell even realized themselves. Tyrell's brown eyes widened when he noticed the Frubble pinning his Pokémon down.

"Use Pound!" Damon ordered.

Froakie launched himself as the energy from his attack built up within his dominant fist. Chespin struggled to free himself, and met his Trainer's worried expression. Tyrell hesitated too much. He could have caught Froakie with Vine Whip, but he simply was thrown off too far by Chespin's current situation with the Frubble. He clenched his fists and went with the only idea he could think of.

"Lower your head! Use your shell!" he called out to Chespin.

The Grass-type lowered his head just in time to meet Froakie's fist. A burst of air exploded out in all directions from the point of impact and Froakie winced as a shockwave traveled up his limb, rocking his core. Both Pokémon fell back in a cloud of dust and Tyrell stepped forward to check on his Pokémon's condition. Professor Sycamore raised a hand to stop the young Trainer from advancing any further. He stepped into the dissipating dust cloud to check on the result himself. The dust settled and both Pokémon were unconscious as a result of their powerful impact.

"Both Froakie and Chespin are unable to continue battling! I declare this battle to be… a draw!" Professor Sycamore announced.

Damon's heart skipped a beat as the Pokémon Professor's words rebounded within his skull. He breathed out some of his worry and steeled himself as he trekked forward with his cane leading the way. A hand gently grasped his shoulder, forcing Damon to a stop. He fetched Froakie's Pokéball and quickly returned the Water-type to its confines so he could rest. Tyrell joined Damon and Professor Sycamore, returning Chespin to his Pokéball as well.

"That battle was truly something to behold. You both should be proud of yourselves for putting your all into it," Professor Sycamore stated.

"I didn't put my all into it," Tyrell responded with a strangely sour tone, "I could have responded with Vine Whip right there at the end, but I was off focus. It won't happen again."

He shot a look over Damon's shoulder as the latter tilted his head in confusion. Professor Sycamore followed Tyrell's gaze quickly and spotted someone watching their battle from afar. A tall, distinguished man with dark skin, dark hair, and dark eyes turned his back when he realized he had been noticed. He wore an expensive business suit and carried himself with purpose. Tyrell's fists clenched tighter. He breathed a shaky sigh and collected himself.

"It won't happen again," he reiterated his earlier statement.

He clapped Damon on his shoulder, forced a smile, and then turned to leave. Damon cleared his throat, forcing Tyrell to a stop. He looked back at his rival and smirked.

"I sure hope it doesn't happen again. I do not wish to defeat you when you're not at your best after all," Damon stated.

"Same goes to you, man. Good luck and see you the next time I see you," Tyrell responded, "Oh, and you better keep treating Little Red like the queen she is. Anything less and you truly would not deserve her."

He saluted Savannah and hurried off out of sight before she could retaliate. Savannah joined Damon's side, grasping his hand to let him know she was there. He already knew her position; however, but he appreciated the gesture nonetheless. Professor Sycamore turned toward them one last time and smiled.

"I hope to see you both at my Lab in Lumiose City. Feel free to visit," he told them.

"Of course, Professor. Thank you for everything," Savannah responded.

Professor Sycamore then made his leave as well. Only Damon, Savannah, and Fennekin remained in the clearing outside Aquacorde Town. The battle and Tyrell's reaction afterwards remained fresh on Damon's conscious.

"He was here, wasn't he?" he asked Savannah.

"Yep. He looked so disappointed," she responded sadly, "Why can't all Dads be like yours?"

"Persistently clingy?" Damon questioned in jest.

Savannah slapped his shoulder lightly. Damon smirked, and then released Froakie from within his Pokéball. The Water-type was conscious, but was a bit groggy from the battle. Damon knelt down, dug through his bag, and felt for an object of familiar size. An Oran Berry exited his pack within his grip. He offered the Berry to Froakie, who took it without hesitation. His energy now restored, Froakie croaked happily and climbed up onto Damon's shoulder.

"We're Pokémon Trainers now," Savannah commented as if realizing this for the first time.

She grinned up at Damon and kissed him quickly on his cheek. He had two red lipstick marks on either side of his face now. Savannah noted to remind him to wipe that off later. The couple then shouldered their belongings and ventured off away from Aquacorde Town. They crossed a cobblestone bridge and entered the Avance Trail.

The noise of the bustling, shop-filled town was behind the traveling couple. The only sound Damon could hear was the wind rustling through the tall grass and the occasional footsteps of something moving through the underbrush. He suddenly became aware of the sound of his own breathing as he continued along the route, hand-in-hand with Savannah. A beautiful song played over his head, forcing Damon to a stop. He listened to little wings flap and the bark of a nearby tree's branch crack under the slight weight of a wild Pokémon.

"Pokédex, on," he ordered, bringing out the blue device, "Scan Pokémon."

He aimed it at the last place he heard the wild Pokémon was and a blue light illuminated it. Secretly, Damon prayed that he was not simply scanning a tree branch. Luckily for him, the Pokémon remained right where he had thought it was.

"Fletchling, the Tiny Robin Pokémon. These friendly Pokémon send signals to one another with beautiful chirps and tail-feather movements," his Pokédex stated.

He pocketed the device and smiled to himself. He could use another fast, agile Pokémon. Fletchling would provide the flyer for his team; something Froakie was not able to provide. He felt the Water-type's weight shift on his shoulder in anticipation and Damon took a calming breath.

"Bubble!" he called out, alerting the Fletchling.

Froakie launched up and sprayed a bubbly flurry down at the Normal-and-Flying-type Pokémon. Fletchling flapped its little wings to push itself off the tree branch just in time to avoid the attack. It cried out in protest over being attacked, and then tried to fly away.

"Froakie, pin it down with some Frubble!" Damon shouted.

Froakie, who was still airborne, chucked the sticky substance that grew around his neck with perfect accuracy. Fletchling, now caught in the Frubble, was then stuck to a branch of another tree. Froakie landed and croaked up at Damon to follow him. Damon listened to his Pokémon's hops disturbing the route's serenity and stood before the trapped Fletchling. He took a Pokéball off his belt and opened it. A red light harmlessly broke Fletchling down to the molecular level and absorbed the Tiny Robin Pokémon into the Pokéball. It wriggled about in Damon's grasp and then went perfectly still.

"And that's how it's done," he stated, "Good job, Froakie."

"You wasted no time to catch a new Pokémon," Savannah commented as she approached.

"I'm a Trainer, sweetie. I need to build up my team. Ty's probably catching Pokémon as well," Damon responded.

"Challenging the League sounds stressful. I'm glad I'm undeclared," Savannah stated.

Damon chuckled. He clipped Fletchling's Pokéball to his belt and allowed Froakie to climb back up to his shoulder. There were many things an aspiring Trainer could do with themselves when they begin a journey. Most took on a League challenge where they would travel around whatever Region they are in and collect Gym Badges. Once they collected eight, they would be entered into the League where every other Trainer who also collected eight Badges would battle it out for a chance to battle the Elite Four gauntlet. All of this was for the opportunity to battle the Champion, a Region's strongest official Trainer.

Some Trainers became Coordinators where they would show off their Pokémon in Contests around the Region. Some became Breeders where they research the health and care of Pokémon. Some became Researchers where they would try to catalogue every native Pokémon in their Region's Pokédex. Some even tried to do it all, but almost all of them wind up flaming out, and focusing on just one task. Finally, some Trainers were just unsure of what they wanted to do with their lives, and take the opportunity to view new settings and figure it out along the way.

Savannah was in the last category. She was never interested in becoming a full-time battler despite her excellent results in school. She refused to stay home as well due to her strained relationship with her parents. Joining Damon on his journey gave her the best opportunity to avoid the stress at home, figure out her own life, and make sure Damon does not wind up falling in a ditch or something. The fact they could finally be together without parental oversight was just the sweet Cherri Berry on top.

"We won't be able to reach Santalune City by nightfall. We'll have to set up camp somewhere along the way," Damon stated.

"How do you know?" Savannah asked.

"I calculated how long it would take the average person to walk the Kalosian Routes beforehand," he explained, "There are three routes between us and the city: Avance Trail, which we are on right now, Santalune Forest, and finally Ouvert Way."

"So how long _will _it take us to reach the city?" Savannah asked.

"Hmm… Two and a half days; three tops," Damon responded.

"How're we gonna stay clean?" Savannah asked, becoming concerned.

"I came prepared as always. I have a portable shower _and _a portable shower tent," Damon revealed, "We'll be able to do our thing with privacy.

He felt her grip on his hand and her body press up against him. Savannah smiled, batting her eyelashes, and quickly left yet another lipstick mark on Damon's cheek. Froakie gave the redheaded woman an "are you serious" look that she ignored.

"You think of everything, don't you?" Savannah asked.

"You'd be amazed how much being blind allows me to just… think. It's so easy to become distracted by the random shiny object or Butterfree flying by," Damon explained, "All I have are sounds, smells, and touch and those are much easier to ignore."

"Oh?" Savannah asked, taking his hand and bringing it to her breast, "Is this touch easy to ignore?"

"It… isn't, but we should continue on our way. We're burning daylight," Damon stated, begrudgingly retracting his hand.

He and Savannah then continued the journey across Avance Trail. The trees thickened around them as they neared the outskirts of Santalune Forest. The sun was already well into the descent of its arc overhead. Damon then stopped and sighed while rubbing the sides of his left knee.

"I think we can set up camp around here," he stated, "Right? This is okay?"

Savannah looked around and shrugged her shoulders. It _was _okay. She patted Damon on his back and smiled.

"This is fine, babe," she told him.

"Good. Whew… I'm out of shape," he muttered before falling face-first into the dirt.

Froakie leapt off his shoulder to avoid being dragged down with his Trainer. Savannah rolled her eyes and quickly brought her pack down from her shoulders. She unzipped it and took out their two-person tent. Within minutes, she had it pitched and ready to go.

"I'm starving," Damon complained into the grass.

"Quit whining," Savannah responded.

She looked around and found some fallen branches at the base of a nearby tree. Savannah jogged over with Fennekin close behind. The Fire-type quickly snagged some twigs for herself and trotted back with her Trainer.

"You _could _help make a pit for the fire," Savannah suggested, "And then we can heat us up some grub."

Damon sat up, nodding in agreement. He tapped his chin as he formulated the best plan for them to use to dig a fire pit. He then held up a finger and grinned before spinning around to where he last heard his girlfriend's voice.

"Froakie, use Pound to dig a pit wherever Savannah wants you to," he instructed.

The Water-type nodded, croaked, and hopped forward to Savannah. He looked up at her as she tried determining the best spot for the fire pit. She then pointed out a patch of dirt and Froakie hopped over to it. His hands glowed brightly with white energy and he repeatedly punched the earth until a good-sized pit was carved into the ground. Savannah lay some of the firewood she had gathered in the pit and turned to Fennekin.

"Use Ember," she instructed the Fire-type.

Fennekin dropped the twig she was gnawing on and spat forth a burst of fire that ignited the wood Savannah had dropped in the pit. Damon was close enough the newly-formed campfire to feel its warmth. He swung his pack around onto his lap and dug into it in search of the food he had packed for the first leg of the journey.

"Aha!" Damon exclaimed the moment he felt the aluminum cans.

He pulled them out and Savannah cooked, because it was obviously a bad idea for a blind man to be anywhere close to a campfire. While she did this, Damon sent Fletchling out of his Pokéball, and fixed up three bowls for the Pokémon to enjoy their dinner in.

After the dinner this fan fiction writer refused to go into full detail over, because food in the Pokémon universe is still rather boggling to them, Damon and Savannah sat shoulder-to-shoulder by their campfire. Froakie and Fennekin sat on their respective Trainer's lap while Fletchling roosted himself atop Damon's head.

"I think we're going to do well," Damon admitted.

"We didn't die day one, so I'm compelled to agree," Savannah added.

"Well… there's plenty of opportunity for us to die tomorrow, or the next day, or the…," Damon responded.

Savannah cut him off by shoving him over. Fletchling flapped his wings to keep steady and Froakie hopped away to safety. Damon laughed as he righted himself and leaned back against Savannah.

"I love you," he told her.

"Love you too, babe," she responded, leaning her head against his.

There was a moment of silence between the two. All that could be heard was the flickering campfire before them.

"Wanna fuck?" Damon asked.

"Oh Arceus, I thought you'd never ask," Savannah replied.

She kicked dirt onto the fire to extinguish it and they both recalled their Pokémon to their Pokéballs. With gleeful giggles, the young couple retreated to their tent. Those giggles turned to moans fairly quickly.


	4. Monkey Business in Santalune Forest

Something scampering outside the tent roused Damon from his naked slumber. Savannah was pressed up against him in the large sleeping bag they shared. His attention perked as the noise of something outside the tent officially woke him the hell up. His imagination went into overdrive of all of the things it could be and he elbowed Savannah unintentionally hard in her breast.

"Ow! What the hell you dickhead?" she questioned him angrily.

"Shh! There's something outside the tent," he responded in a hushed voice.

Savannah fell silent and she listened to whatever it was outside their tent creep around. She looked at her boyfriend and snuggled closer to him for safety.

"G-Go check it out," she told him.

"I am not climbing my blind, naked ass out of this tent to get killed with my dick out. No thanks. You go check," Damon responded.

"Fuck you. I'm naked too and I am _not _getting myself killed either," Savannah decided.

"Fine. We'll get dressed and we'll both go," Damon reasoned.

"Nope. I'm too hot. I watch too many slasher movies to put myself into whatever fresh hell is outside this tent," Savannah countered.

Damon sighed, becoming annoyed. He could not figure out what it was outside their tent. It was still there, too. It sounded heavy.

"Let's send our Pokémon out. I only hear one set of footsteps. They can increase our odds if we need to fight," Damon responded.

"Okay. I like that idea," Savannah responded.

She gathered the three Pokéballs and they pulled the sleeping bag up to their shoulders to be modest. They sent all three of their Pokémon out and they all looked back to their Trainers with blinking confusion.

"Something's outside the tent. Go check it out. We'll be right behind you," Damon instructed.

Froakie stuck his head out first to peer into the dark forest. Fletchling hopped out behind him, but Fennekin was more hesitant. They all heard the noise the intruder made, so they approached. Digging into the trash bag Damon and Savannah had set up for their litter was a plump Zigzagoon. When the Pokémon Trainers were fully dressed, they joined their partners to witness the intruder.

"Get out of here you little pest!" Savannah snapped, chasing the Pokémon off.

She turned sheepishly back toward Damon, who stifled his laughter over how ridiculous they were being. The Pokémon were returned to their Pokéballs and the couple reentered their tent.

"I can_not _believe it was just a little Zigzagoon," Savannah grumbled.

"I can't believe you were so afraid," Damon teased.

"Fuck you," Savannah told him.

"I mean… if you insist," Damon responded.

He reached toward her without care for where his hand may rest and planted the extremity on Savannah's shoulder. Using his knowledge of human anatomy, Damon trailed his hand across the front of Savannah's body, and then proceeded to grope her breast. He felt the thin layer of cloth between their skins that was the white tank top Savannah hastily threw on to follow their Pokémon into a possible fray. Damon heard no protest from his partner, so he quickly escalated the moment by shooting his hand down to her hip and then pulling back so Savannah was lying down before him. She had her knees up and parted her legs so Damon could kiss the inner part of her leg all of the way up to the hem of her panties. He grinned once he heard the redhead take a sharp gasp as Damon reached a sensitive spot. Even though he was blind, Damon familiarized himself with everything that could get Savannah off. At this rate, he knew he would need to purchase another box of TM-17's. Unbeknownst to the couple, some_one_ was watching them from a nearby tree.

The next morning, Damon and Savannah tore down their camp, and left little to no trace of their existence aside from the dirt-filled fire pit. Santalune Forest and Ouvert Way stood between them and civilization. The thick canopy over their heads barely allowed the morning sun to flit down to the underbrush. It was so _green_! Savannah felt bad that Damon could not see it. Damon did not mind this; however, and happily swayed his cane left-to-right in front of him as he trekked alongside her.

"Last night felt great, babe," Savannah told him.

"Both times?" Damon asked, smirking.

Savannah rolled her eyes, knowing the annoyed gesture could slip by undetected. She squeezed his hand nonetheless.

"Yes. Both times," she responded, "I still can't believe we thought there was a serial killer outside our tent."

"We're new on our journey. It is expected," Damon countered, trying to reassure himself past his own shame toward how he reacted.

There was a rustling in the canopy overhead and Damon forced himself to a halt. He turned an ear up to the commotion and then three creatures landed on both shoulders and the top of his head. Their combined weight knocked him off balance and he fell to the forest floor in a cloud of dust. Loud chattering went off all around him and he felt his cane be ripped from his grasp.

"Get off of him!" Savannah screamed.

The chattering continued and then the three creatures ran off with Damon's cane in their possession. He sat up, rubbing the back of his neck, and he sensed Savannah's presence by his side.

"What the hell happened?" he asked.

"Three Pokémon just jumped you and took your cane," she told him.

"Oh…," Damon responded, lowering his face downward.

"You okay, babe? Were you hurt?" Savannah asked.

"N-No… I don't think so. I just… I need my cane," Damon explained, "It helps me not feel so helpless all the damn time."

Savannah's demeanor noticeably saddened as she empathized with her boyfriend's situation. She stood up and smirked, looking off in the direction the three Pokémon had scurried off in.

"Mind if I borrow Fletchling for a moment?" she asked.

"Why?" Damon asked as he unclipped the Normal-and-Flying-type's Pokéball from his belt.

"I'm getting your cane back. It shouldn't take long, so I want you to stay right here," Savannah instructed.

"Y-You don't have to," Damon responded in a whisper.

Savannah rolled her eyes and pulled his head into her bosom to reassure him. She kissed the top of his head.

"Of course I do, babe. No one gets to mess with you just because you're blind. I have your back forever and always," she told him.

"Okay," he responded into her breasts.

Savannah pulled away, kissed Damon one last time on his lips, and then took Fletchling's Pokéball. She sent the Tiny Robin Pokémon out and he sang as he perched himself atop Damon's head.

"Damon's blind guy cane has been stolen by three Pokémon. I need your help to find it and get it back," Savannah instructed.

Fletchling saluted the redhead with his wing and flew off into the forest in search of his Trainer's possession. Savannah then sent Fennekin out and they trotted off in the direction the three Pokémon went off in. Damon was now alone, sitting in the middle of Santalune Forest with only the sounds and smells to comfort him. Footsteps immediately began his way and Damon stumbled to his feet. He scrambled for his only defense, Froakie, and sent the Water-type out of his Pokéball.

"Wh-Who's there?" he asked nervously in the direction the footsteps were coming from.

Froakie narrowed his eyes as the advancing figure stepped into a bit of the flittering sunlight that broke through the canopy above their heads. She was tall, around five feet, eight inches tall and had short white hair styled with an undercut. Blue-green eyes observed Damon and Froakie carefully. The young woman was around the former's age and boasted a bust that rivaled Savannah's. She wore a white coat with a collar and sleeves, a black choker with silver studs, black leather shorts that clung to curvy hips, fishnet stockings, and black ankle boots. She had several piercings in her ears, a beauty mark on the lower right corner of black lipstick-coated lips, and finally a small scar on her left cheek.

"Look here, buddy. I can beat the snot out of you and your Pokémon pretty easily, and then steal everything you got. Why don't you make this easier and just hand it all over, and I'll go on my merry way," the woman suggested.

"Y-You'd rob a blind man?" Damon asked, hoping to appease to the woman's better nature.

"I'd steal candy from a baby if they had candy I wanted," the woman responded, "You have some stuff I want, dude, so come on… hand it over."

Froakie acted first, leaping up into the air, and launching a bubbly flurry down at the woman. A sudden bolt of lightning then shot through the bubbles from a nearby tree, dissipating them all into steam. Froakie landed and turned his attention toward a white flash that moved between the treetops until reaching the white-haired woman. A white Pokémon then landed on the woman's shoulders and glared at Damon and Froakie.

Elsewhere in Santalune Forest, Savannah, Fennekin, and Fletchling were in search of Damon's cane. Fletchling had already located the three culprits and circled the base of the tree they were hiding in. Savannah approached with Fennekin close behind and both peered into the branches toward the sources of the chattering.

"Okay," she stated, hands on her hips, "How do we get the cane down from there?"

Fletchling perched himself within her fiery mane of hair and used his wing similarly to how Savannah used her hand to focus her own vision.

"You could fly up there, Fletchling, but I don't want you to be at a disadvantage if those three attack you," Savannah vocalized her thoughts.

She then turned her attention to the nearest branch and shook her head. It was too high up, so climbing the tree was out of the question. She squatted down and brought her pack from around her shoulders. Savannah unzipped it and dug in for some Pokémon food.

"Okay. Plan time. We bait those fuckers down here and while they're distracted, Fletchling takes the cane," Savannah told both the Pokémon beside her.

Fennekin seemed crestfallen that she was not being used in the plan and Savannah noticed this right away.

"Hey," she told the Fire-type, "Chin up. If shit hits the fan, and it probably will; I'll need your firepower to keep Fletchling and me safe."

Fennekin nodded and watched intently as Savannah lay out the bait. Both she and Fletchling followed the Trainer to a nearby bush to hide out. Savannah poked her head out and whistled to get the attentions of the three Pokémon in the treetops. She quickly returned to her hiding spot, but peered out to see if her plan was working.

Damon and Froakie stood side-by-side, facing their foe as the white-haired woman watched them carefully. Her Pokémon remained on her shoulder, so Damon took this opportunity to capture it with his Pokédex's scanning feature. He needed to know what he was up against.

"Pikachu, the Mouse Pokémon. It raises its tail to check its surroundings. The tail is sometimes struck by lightning in this pose," his Pokédex stated.

The tail of the monochromatic Electric-type twitched briefly and she then leapt off of her Trainer's shoulder. White trails of energy were left in her wake as she closed the distance between Froakie and herself. Froakie barely had enough time to dodge the Quick Attack before the Pikachu arrived. Damon's focus turned to the battle before him.

"Pound, Froakie!" he called out.

Froakie quickly responded as soon as he landed, leaping back toward Pikachu with glowing fists.

"Keep him at bay with Thunder Shock, Sparx!" the white-haired woman countered.

As Froakie neared the monochrome Pikachu, electricity cackled from her cheek pouches and swarmed over body. Froakie's eyes widened as one of the bolts struck him. He flew back, and hit a tree hard enough to dislodge some of its branches.

"Froakie!" Damon called out.

He heard footsteps. Damon instinctively stepped back to avoid the white-haired woman chopping her hand into the side of his neck. She was shocked he was able to accurately detect her. Without his cane; however, Damon felt unbalanced, and started to stumble. His opponent took her chance, and kicked his legs out from under him. Damon fell to the ground in a heap and felt the cool steel of a knife pressed against the back of his neck.

"Y'know… I heard you and the redheaded babe last night. You got some moves for a blind dude. That or she's just easy to please," the white-haired woman taunted.

Damon felt his heart beating rapidly. He could not focus. Froakie's condition was unknown to him. The Pikachu's position was unknown to him. He was alone, unarmed, and completely helpless. Tears formed in his unseeing eyes.

"P-Please," he begged, "I… I'm blind. I'm helpless. I'm alone, so _please _just take what you want and go."

The white-haired woman almost felt a twinge of guilt as she reeled her knife away from Damon's neck. She narrowed her blue-green eyes and tilted her head in confusion over her own guilt. Her Pikachu turned her attention away from Froakie, who was still downed at the base of the tree he hit, to stare questioningly at her Trainer. This allowed Froakie to grab one of the fallen branches his impact caused to break, and swing it with all of his might into the Pikachu. The Electric-type cried out, turning the white-haired woman's attention away from her own confusion and guilt. Froakie used Bubble to knock her away from Damon and he hopped over to his Trainer's side.

The Water-type croaked and put the branch in Damon's hand. It was of adequate length that he could prop himself up on it. The white-haired woman shook her head and blinked at Damon as he stood with Froakie by his side. He sniffled and wiped his eyes before smiling valiantly.

"Please leave us alone now. This is your last chance," he told her.

"Bro, you're still blind, and outmatched. Sparx is an Electric-type, so she _still _has the advantage over your Froakie," the white-haired woman responded.

"Not if I use Pound," Damon countered, realizing something, "Froakie has a special Ability called Protean. It allows him to change types based on what attack he's using!"

The three Pokémon climbed down the tree to investigate the food left at its base. Fletchling flew around out of sight and ventured up into the branches. There were so many other stolen goods lodged into the windy tree branches that Fletchling had difficulties locating Damon's cane.

Down below, the three Pokémon were nearing the end of the food Savannah had laid out for them. Fletchling was not back yet, and Savannah did not want to have the three Pokémon head back up to him. She had a decision to make.

"Hey! Fennekin, use Ember!" she called out, bursting from the bush with her Pokémon beside her.

Fennekin sent a fiery burst toward the three Pokémon, sending them scattering. Savannah used this moment to scan them with her Pokédex.

"Pansage, the Grass Monkey Pokémon. It shares the leaf on its head with weary-looking Pokémon. These leaves are known to relieve stress. Pansear, the High Temp Pokémon. Very intelligent, it roasts berries before eating them. It likes to help people. Panpour, the Spray Pokémon. The water stored inside the tuft on its head is full of nutrients. It waters plants with it using its tail," her Pokédex stated.

The three Pokémon turned on Savannah and Fennekin. They knew they had the advantage in numbers. Savannah did not care. She was not there to win the battle, but to distract them long enough for Fletchling to…

Damon's cane suddenly fell from above, striking Panpour on top of its head. The Water-type was stunned and Fletchling then repeatedly pecked Pansear, leaving Pansage for Savannah and Fennekin.

"Your timing was perfect, Fletchling! Fennekin, use Ember!" Savannah cried out.

Fennekin sent another fiery burst into Pansage's chest, knocking the Grass-type against the tree. With Damon's cane in their possession, Savannah, Fennekin, and Fletchling fled the fray. The Elemental Monkeys recovered from the unexpected attacks and looked at one another in confusion.

Damon and Froakie faced off against the white-haired woman and her Pikachu. She narrowed her eyes, growing tired of fighting, so she looked down at her Pokémon.

"Use Thunder Wave," she ordered.

Two rings of electricity shot out from Sparx's cheeks, hitting Damon and Froakie before they could react. Both fell to the dirt, paralyzed, and the white-haired woman sauntered over, swaying her hips back and forth. She knelt beside Damon and teasingly poked the top of his nose.

"Boop," she taunted.

"Who… are… you?" he asked in a strained voice.

"I'm Zubat-Man," the woman responded in a fake, growling voice.

She grinned and immediately started robbing Damon's pack of the portable shower, his food, and his money. She did leave his medicine and Pokéballs behind, because while she was a thief, she never considered herself to be a monster, and he had his girlfriend after all. She got what she wanted, and that was all that mattered to her. The white-haired woman then sauntered back over to Damon with the stolen goods in her possession.

"It's been a pleasure doing business with you, handsome," she told him.

She squatted back down to where he lay and planted a kiss on his cheek. The white-haired woman then stood erect and smirked at the black lipstick mark left on Damon's cheek. The gorgeous thief and her monochrome, nicknamed Pikachu then left into the forest like the high school original characters they were, leaving Damon and Froakie immobilized in the dirt.

Savannah, Fennekin, and Fletchling returned not too long after this and the former's eyes widened when she saw her boyfriend's state. She ran forward and knelt beside him.

"What happened?" Savannah asked in a rushed tone, alerting Damon to her presence.

"Pack… Cherri… Berry…," he struggled to speak.

Savannah dug into his pack and pulled out a container with Cherri Berries inside. She forced one of them into Damon's mouth and helped him chew it. He recovered from the paralysis and sat up.

"Help Froakie," he pleaded before falling back in exhaustion.


	5. Training to Be the Very Best

It was now the late afternoon and Damon and Savannah were near the outer edge of Santalune Forest. With his cane in hand, Damon felt much more secure. Savannah; however, was beyond pissed that some, in her words, bitch would attack him despite him being blind, and then _kiss him_. She refused to say she was jealous. She was not _that _petty, but everything Damon had gone through while she was away bugged her. He suddenly stopped in an area where the trees of Santalune Forest became sparse and the beginnings of Ouvert Way were apparent.

"We can set up camp here. We should make it to Santalune City by tomorrow," Damon stated.

"How're you not upset?" Savannah asked.

"Why should I be upset?" Damon questioned.

"You were attacked. You were robbed. I'd be upset about that, and I'm not even…," Savannah responded before stopping.

Damon knew what she was going to say. She would have been upset to be attacked and robbed and she was not even blind like he was. She questioned why he was not currently raging at the universe for being helpless when the white-haired woman attacked him. Damon sighed heavily and squared his shoulders.

"Why should I waste my time being pissed about something I can't fix?" Damon asked, "I'm blind because of a genetic disorder. I got a bad hand, but I'm playing with it nonetheless, and look how wonderful my life is because of that decision."

He grinned and spread his arms out wide. Damon could not be angry because of the inconveniences his disability brought onto him. Yes, he would love to be able to see Savannah's face. Yes, he would love to see her smile. Yes, he would love to _see_, but it will never happen. He accepted that long ago.

"I was raised by a wonderful father. I'm living my dream of being a Pokémon Trainer. I'm… dating a beautiful, young woman, and I say beautiful even though I can't see, because I don't need to be able to see to know you're beautiful. I just need to know _you _to know that," Damon continued.

Savannah sniffled and tears brimmed in her green eyes. She wiped them away and closed the distance between Damon and herself. Embracing Damon in an almost-suffocating hug, Savannah silently thanked him for his words and for reassuring her.

"I'll go pitch the tent," she told him as she released her grip.

Damon simply nodded and stepped away. He used his cane to judge how much space he had around himself, and then sent Froakie and Fletchling out of their Pokéballs. Both his Pokémon turned their attentions up to Damon.

"I would like to take this moment for us all to train. We will be arriving in Santalune City sometime tomorrow, and I want us _all _to be at our best," he explained to his Pokémon.

Froakie and Fletchling voiced their approval to begin training. Damon smirked and the training began. The writer inserts stock training montage with the theme from _Rocky_ here. Savannah had the tent pitched and dinner made, so Damon and his Pokémon ended their training. Froakie and Fletchling joined Fennekin to eat their food while Damon found his way over to the campfire beside Savannah.

The next morning, the duo was completely in Ouvert Way and the thick trees of Santalune Forest were now behind them. It was a straightforward path between the forest and the city featuring numerous hills and a pond.

"E-Excuse me," a curly-haired Trainer spoke up.

Damon stopped and Savannah turned toward him. He clutched at the straps of a pack on his back and smiled friendlily. Damon deduced what he may want from them, and turned toward the sound of his voice.

"Would one of you like to battle?" the Trainer asked.

"Sure thing, man. I'm the battling one between us, so I accept your challenge," Damon responded.

The curly-haired Trainer looked at Damon for the first time. Savannah then realized he was hoping she would battle him. _She _deduced the only reason the Trainer bothered to talk to them was because of her, and it was obvious as to why he did so. She rolled her eyes.

"Y-You're blind?" the curly-haired Trainer asked.

"Yes. I'm aware," Damon responded, almost playfully.

"Sorry!" he exclaimed, "I'm just… I've never met a blind Trainer before."

"Then allow me to show you how strong one can be," Damon responded, "I'm Damon Pierce."

"Oliver. Oliver Pratt. My friends call me Ollie," the curly-haired Trainer introduced himself, "I only have two Pokémon, so the best I can do is a two-on-two."

"That's okay. I only have two Pokémon as well," Damon responded.

Oliver nodded and took a couple steps back so they would have some room in the clearing they were all standing in. Damon remained smiling while Savannah stood behind him.

"Let's go Scatterbug!" Oliver called out his first Pokémon.

Damon aimed his Pokédex straight ahead where he assumed the Pokémon to be and scanned it.

"Scatterbug, the Scatterdust Pokémon. When under attack from bird Pokémon, it spews a poisonous black powder that causes paralysis on contact," his Pokédex stated.

Well, Damon's plan to counter with Fletchling went out the window. There was no way he was going to risk activating Scatterbug's natural defense mechanism. Damon offered his hand to Froakie, who clung to his shoulder, and the Water-type nuzzled it.

"Give me your best," he requested.

Froakie leapt off his Trainer's shoulder and landed before him. He looked determined; ready to redeem himself for being unable to protect Damon from the white-haired woman and her Pikachu. Damon clutched onto his cane with both hands and his smile faltered a little bit. He was entering battle mode.

"Froakie, open up with Pound!" he called out.

"Slow him down with String Shot!" Oliver countered.

Froakie leapt up into the air with a glowing fist, but was immediately struck by strands of thick webbing that Scatterbug connected the other end to the ground to slow his movement. He was unable to reach the little Bug-type Pokémon.

"Now use Tackle!" Oliver ordered.

Scatterbug launched himself through the air and struck a surprised Froakie in the chest. The Water-type flew back, ripping through the webbing that had him stuck, and slid to the ground at Damon's feet.

"Are you okay, Froakie?" Damon asked.

The Water-type croaked quickly and shot back up to his feet. Both Trainer and Pokémon knew an upfront attack would be difficult, but they were lucky that Froakie was also a ranged attacker.

"Use Bubble!" Damon ordered.

Froakie spat out a bubbly flurry that quickly overwhelmed Scatterbug, and sent the Bug-type flying back to where Oliver stood. The curly-haired Trainer looked down at his Pokémon, eyes widened, and Scatterbug's unconscious form stared back at him.

"Scatterbug is unable to battle!" Savannah determined, finding herself acting as a referee.

She used what she had seen Professor Sycamore do when he refereed the battle between Damon and Tyrell a couple days ago. Oliver sighed and returned Scatterbug to his Pokéball. He readied his second and final Pokéball and tossed it forward.

"Go Azurill!" Oliver called out.

Damon once again scanned the new Pokémon with his Pokédex.

"Azurill, the Polka Dot Pokémon. A Pokémon that lives by water. It moves quickly on land by bouncing on its big tail," his Pokédex stated.

"Azurill, use Water Gun!" Oliver called out.

"Deflect it with Pound!" Damon countered.

A jet of water emitted from the Normal-and-Fairy-type's mouth, but Froakie easily deflected it off to his side with a glowing fist.

"Now hit her!" Damon ordered.

Froakie hopped forward, his fist still glowing brightly with white energy.

"Dodge it, Azurill!" Oliver called out.

Azurill leapt upward by bouncing against her tail. Froakie looked up, mouth agape at how high the small Pokémon got with a single bounce.

"Use Water Gun again!" Oliver ordered.

"Deflect it again!" Damon countered.

Azurill emitted a second jet of water from her mouth that Froakie deflected with Pound again. She started her descent and Froakie tracked her, waiting for Damon's next attack.

"Use Pound!" he called out.

Froakie shot forward, quicker than he anticipated, and white energy was left in his wake as he met Azurill in midair with a glowing fist. The Polka Dot Pokémon was launched into Oliver's gut with enough force to knock him off his feet and knock the wind from his lungs. He coughed and rolled onto his side while clutching his unconscious Pokémon.

"Damon wins," Savannah determined quickly before running over to where Oliver lay.

Damon followed, using the sounds of his opponent's coughing to locate him. Savannah knelt beside Oliver and tilted her head off to the side.

"You okay?" she asked.

He gave her a weak thumb up and returned Azurill to her Pokéball. Damon offered a hand that Oliver took, and he helped him to his feet. Oliver brushed himself off and smiled at Damon.

"You're incredibly strong," he admitted.

"Thank you. You're not half bad yourself. Using String Shot to slow me down and Azurill's bouncy tail to dodge was pretty smart," Damon responded.

"Not smart enough, I guess," Oliver responded, "I'll have to get better and train harder though!"

"That's all it takes," Savannah remarked.

Oliver handed over sixty-four Pokédollars in winnings to Damon and waved both he and Savannah off as they continued on their way. Froakie enjoyed an Oran Berry as he clung to Damon's shoulder.

"Y'know Froakie learned a new move, right?" Savannah informed him.

"Really?" Damon asked excitedly.

He took out his Pokédex and scanned Froakie.

"Additional information," he told the device.

"Froakie. Male. Water-type. Ability; Protean. Attacks known; Pound, Bubble, and Quick Attack," his Pokédex listed off.

"Nice!" Damon exclaimed, "We'll definitely out speed our opponents now! Good job, Froakie."

Froakie croaked happily and resumed eating his Oran Berry. The day went on and the two travelers trekked toward their destination. As they came to the top of a hill, the skyline of Santalune City came into view for the ones who could actually see it.

"Are we finally there?" Damon asked, feeling tiredness in his legs.

"Yes… thank Arceus… we can shower," Savannah responded.

They descended the hill into Santalune City and Savannah immediately led the way into the nearest Pokémon Center. The red-roofed building was a mainstay in many towns across established Regions. It was where Pokémon Trainers would convene in order to rest, eat, and clean up their clothes as well as themselves. Damon found his way over to a couch in the main lobby and sat down while Savannah got their Pokémon some extra rest and booked a room for them to stay in for the night.

Savannah approached Damon where he sat; legs sprawled out, and set his Pokéballs down on his lap. He groaned tiredly and threw his head back with a pout.

"Come on, lazy butt. I got us a room," Savannah stated.

"I can't. I'm too tired," Damon responded.

Savannah sighed, hands on her hips, and then she bent forward to tickle Damon with her hair. He could not stop himself from smiling. Savannah inched closer and kissed the top of Damon's head. Her breasts were pressed onto his shoulder now and Savannah suggestively shimmied side-to-side to sway Damon's opinion away from the couch in the middle of a crowded lobby.

Damon was a smart man. Even though he could not see what Savannah was doing to him; he could feel it, and he could feel what it was doing to him. He clipped his Pokéballs to his belt and shot to his feet despite every muscle, aside from his groin, telling him to stay down. Savannah took his hand and led him up the stairs to where the rooms that Trainers could rent to stay in were.

The next morning, Damon woke up in bed next to Savannah. He blinked and felt an arm and a leg draped across his naked body. It was true bliss to wake up every morning like this. There was no one who could interrupt them now. He turned over and kissed whatever part of Savannah was closest, waking her up.

"Why did you kiss me eyelid?" she asked him.

"I had to kiss _something_," he responded.

Savannah smiled and removed her arm and leg from Damon's body. She stretched her limbs out and then rolled back on top of Damon. Savannah kissed his collarbone and trailed her lips to his jaw.

"Warning, I'm running low on condoms," Damon cautioned.

"You won a battle yesterday," Savannah cooed, "And there _are _ways we can have fun and not have to use condoms."

Damon may have been half-asleep in that moment, but he was wide awake the moment he felt a hand grip him down below. He felt Savannah's body slide down his, the grip never leaving until she was in position.

After that was finished, Damon and Savannah left the room hand-in-hand. They were in Santalune City, the site of Damon's first Gym to challenge. The first step was to schedule a battle with the Gym Leader. The second step was to explore the city and its attractions. The third step was to defeat the Gym Leader and earn a badge. The fourth step was to buy more condoms so Savannah could congratulate him on a job-well-done. The fourth step was completely optional; however.

The stone-walled city features brick pathways interwoven between European-style homes and buildings. Many gardens and buildings in the city are decorated with colorful flowers, and the central plaza features a large, Roselia-shaped stone fountain.

Savannah marveled in the utter beauty the city had to offer, but she felt kind of guilty that Damon was not able to see it with her. She leaned into his shoulder and stared at the contentment in his face. She wished she could roll with the punches life threw at her like Damon could. Savannah could not imagine losing her eyesight and having to adjust to an unforgiving world like Damon had to at such a young age.

"You're awfully quiet," Damon's voice jolted her away from her thoughts.

"Shut it. I'm just… enjoying your company is all," Savannah responded.

"You're feeling guilty at being the only one who can truly see Santalune City, aren't you?" Damon asked.

Savannah went silent. Her silence was impossibly loud; however, and confirmed Damon's assumption. He sighed heavily and squeezed Savannah's hand reassuringly.

"Please stop that," he told her, "It's sweet, but you're reminding me of what I can't do, and… that hurts. I know I can't see; trust me, so I don't need to be reminded. Remind me of what I _can _do. I can battle as well as any other Trainer in my level. I have an incredible personality. I'm handsome-ish according to you, and I was able to snag a beauty like you despite my disability."

Savannah looked at Damon as he quietly swung his cane back and forth in front of them. He was right, of course. She took a quick moment to kiss his jaw.

"I love you," she told him before whispering, "One other thing you _can _do is pleasure me like no one else can."

Damon smirked, but his smile faltered a bit when he recognized a certain stench nearby.

"Hello Tyrell," he spoke suddenly, causing both Savannah and Tyrell to turn toward each other in alarm.

Tyrell cracked a grin and shook his head. He was exiting the Santalune City Gym with his hands in his pockets when Damon and Savannah wandered up to him.

"So would I screw with you if I change my cologne?" he asked.

"I wouldn't be able to recognize you, but you'd smell better," Damon responded.

"I smell fine. The ladies love this shit," Tyrell stated.

"No we don't," Savannah countered on behalf of all women.

"What're you doing right now?" Damon asked, "I'd love to show you how much stronger I've become."

"I just signed up to the battle the Gym Leader later this evening, so I'm gonna have to give you a rain check on our battle until we both get our Badge," Tyrell responded.

Fair enough, Damon thought, it wouldn't be fair for them to battle so soon before Tyrell's Gym battle. It also wouldn't be fair for Tyrell to battle Damon without the latter gaining the same experience battling a Gym Leader.

"I should probably sign up to battle the Gym Leader as well," Damon stated.

"Aren't we sightseeing right now?" Savannah asked.

"Technically speaking… just you are," Tyrell responded, earning the redhead's annoyance.

"We will continue wandering afterwards, babe," Damon reassured, "We don't want to be trapped in Santalune City for too long after all."

"Eh, fair enough," Savannah responded, shoulder-checking Tyrell as she and Damon walked past.

They entered the Santalune City Gym and Savannah was amazed at what the front part of the Gym was like. It was a full-blown art gallery with numerous pictures of Bug-type Pokémon hanging on the walls. In the middle of the room was a reception desk where a middle-aged man sat. He looked up at the young couple just entering and smiled.

"Hello," he greeted them, "Welcome to the Santalune City Gym. Are either of you here to make an appointment?"

"I am," Damon declared, using his cane and remembrance of the man's voice to navigate over to the reception desk.

The man behind the desk was taken aback for a moment when he saw that Damon was blind, but he smiled nevertheless. He opened a folder and examined it for any open appointments.

"Unfortunately our last opening was just taken," he stated.

"Damn it, Tyrell," Savannah growled.

The receptionist gave her a strange look before clearing his throat and turning the page. He looked over tomorrow's openings and smiled up at Damon.

"I have an opening at noon tomorrow. Will that work for you?" he asked.

"Sounds good," Damon responded, "I'll be here."

"Great. Please tell me your name and Trainer ID number and how many Pokémon you plan to use," the receptionist instructed.

"Damon Pierce. My ID number is… zero-one-nine-nine-five, and I plan to use two Pokémon," Damon responded.

The receptionist jotted all of that down and beamed up at Damon.

"Everything is set. Good luck with your battle tomorrow. Please explore the gallery. All of the photographs were taken by the Gym Leader," he revealed.

"I'm sure they look wonderful," Damon told him.

The receptionist noticeably paled and then winced. He mouthed an apology to Savannah, who stood there with hands on her hips and an eyebrow arched.

"I meant no offense, sir," the receptionist said.

"Hey, you didn't offend me. It's not like you were taunting me over not being able to see the pictures," Damon responded, "Have a nice day, sir."

He turned and retraced his steps to the exit. Savannah grabbed his shoulder and stopped Damon from exiting.

"Do you mind if I wander around and look at the pictures?" she asked him.

"Of course not. Is there somewhere to sit? I can't exactly gather much from photographs," Damon responded.

Savannah led him to a row of chairs and Damon sat down, waiting while Savannah looked at the photographs hanging along the walls of the Gym.


	6. Buggin' Out Part 1

It was time for Tyrell's battle at the Santalune City Gym. To prevent other Trainers from getting an edge over the Gym Leader, Damon and Savannah were barred from watching. Luckily, when it was to be Damon's turn tomorrow at noon, Savannah could attend and cheer him on since she was not entered into the Kalos League. If Tyrell won his match, he could watch as well.

Damon and Savannah were waiting in the lobby of the Pokémon Center since they could sit more comfortably atop the sofas strewn out across the space. Damon kept an ear toward the front door and inhaled deeply through his nose every time the automatic doors would open.

"I wonder how he's doing," Savannah's voice broke Damon's concentration.

"Tyrell is a strong Trainer. I'm sure he's doing just fine," Damon stated.

The automatic doors open and Damon took in a deep inhale of bad cologne. He stood up and Savannah's gaze looked at the grim expression on Tyrell's face. Damon, obviously, could not see this, and approached Tyrell excitedly.

"Where's the Badge at?" he asked.

Tyrell flinched and Savannah hurried over to the two Trainers. She saw the strain on Tyrell's face. It was apparent that he lost his battle against the Santalune City Gym Leader and was dealing with a whole mix of emotions. Damon could not see this. Damon did not know his question would be the salt poured on an open wound for Tyrell.

"I… lost," he admitted.

Damon frowned and almost seemed confused. How tough were these Gym Leaders that Tyrell James lost to one of them?

"I-I'm sorry," Damon apologized, "We could train together some, so you could win your rematch, and…"

"Dude, stop," Tyrell's voice cut him off.

"Ty," Savannah stated with warning, but was ignored.

"Man, I don't need your pity," Tyrell told Damon, "I don't need_ anyone_ but my damn self!"

Savannah took an aggressive step toward Tyrell, but Damon gently swatted her kneecap with his cane. Tyrell seethed with his anger, but he noticed that several other eyes were now on him after his outburst. He stormed past Damon and Savannah so he could leave his Pokémon with the nurses. Savannah glared after Tyrell, and then turned to Damon to say something, but stopped when she saw his face.

"I'll be out back, uh… training. The Gym Leader's obviously tougher than I thought they were," he muttered under his breath.

Damon then left, using his cane to navigate the Pokémon Center's lobby so he could leave out the back door to the training field. Trainers would use this space to train with their Pokémon in preparation to challenging the Santalune City Gym Leader. Damon felt for the Pokéballs clipped to his belt and popped them open to release Froakie and Fletchling.

"We need to train. We need to get stronger. W-We…," he told them before stopping.

Froakie hopped forward and looked at his Trainer with concern. Damon swallowed a hard lump in his throat and breathed shakily in an attempt to steady himself emotionally.

"Froakie, use Pound," he ordered.

He braced himself physically and mentally, but the Water-type croaked defiantly. Froakie knew what Damon was asking him to do and he refused to do that to his Trainer.

"I can take it! I _have _to! Use Pound, now!" Damon shouted, "Fletchling, use Peck!"

Both Pokémon refused to budge. Damon's shoulders slumped in defeat and for the first time in a long while, he wished he could see.

"F-Froakie… is there a bench? One clap for yes; two for no," he muttered under his breath.

Froakie clapped once and then hopped over to his Trainer, tugging on his pant leg to lead him in the direction of the bench. Damon felt helpless as his Pokémon escorted him to the bench and he sat down when he reached it.

"You and Fletchling should spar at least. Practice dodging and adapting to each other's dodges," he instructed.

Froakie croaked sadly, knowing his Trainer was dealing with something, but the Water-type was unsure of how to help him. Froakie simply hopped over to Fletchling and the two Pokémon began sparring with one another.

Inside the Pokémon Center, Savannah was glaring daggers at Tyrell from the couch she sat on. He was leaning against a nearby wall, doing his best to ignore her glaring. Savannah eventually grew annoyed with being ignored, so she stood up, and marched over to Tyrell. He turned toward her, waiting to be slapped, kicked, punched, berated, or some combination of the aforementioned assault.

"He made a mistake," Savannah told him, "You didn't have to yell at him."

"I don't want to talk right now," Tyrell grumbled.

"You know how he reacts to realizing he missed some visual cue," Savannah continued nevertheless.

"I get it. I should've controlled myself better," Tyrell muttered.

"Yeah… you should've. Arceus, you're a sore loser," Savannah added, "You lost your first battle to a Gym Leader and you take it out on one of your friends? What the hell's wrong with you?"

"You don't get it, Red," Tyrell responded, "I wasn't mad 'cause I lost. I'm mad because my Dad could be right about me."

Savannah looked taken aback by Tyrell's response and blinked at him for a moment while comprehending what he had just said to her. Tyrell pushed off the wall and left Savannah so he could retrieve his restored Pokémon. She turned and followed Tyrell up to the counter where he grabbed the three Pokéballs from the nurse. He clipped them to his belt and turned when he heard Savannah approaching him.

"Could you just…?" he started talking, but was cut off by Savannah embracing him tightly.

Tyrell was stunned. He stood there limply in Savannah's arms. Then he realized that her breasts were pushed up against his chest and he shifted uncomfortably.

"I know what it's like… To try and get approval from a parent who will never approve of you no matter what you do," she explained as she released Tyrell, "It sucks and it pisses you off and it sucks even more when we're constantly reminded of our parents' shortcomings whenever we see how Damon's Dad treats him."

"Yeah… that sucks," Tyrell muttered awkwardly.

He and Savannah never spoke to each other with this level of respect. It was always teasing back-and-forth or her hitting him when he said something egregiously stupid. It was weird and Tyrell was unsure whether he liked this moment or not. He grabbed his elbow and looked away.

"See you around, I guess," he muttered under his breath before leaving.

"You know you'll have to talk to Damon soon. This is gonna burn him up inside!" Savannah called after him.

Tyrell gave no gesture that he had heard Savannah's demand, but he did, and he knew she was right. Savannah watched him disappear out of sight and her shoulders slumped. Fennekin looked up at her Trainer sadly and whined, grabbing Savannah's attention.

"It's okay, Fen. Just a little speed bump," she reassured her Pokémon and herself.

* * *

The next morning, Damon was standing out on the training field outside of the Pokémon Center with his arms crossed over his chest. Froakie and Fletchling were continuing their sparring session from yesterday. Both were becoming faster and faster the longer they persisted.

"Okay, that's enough," Damon stated, halting his Pokémon.

They both looked up at him, catching their breaths. Damon approached and Froakie clapped his hands so he could have a basis of where they were both at. Damon stopped before his Pokémon and knelt down.

"Good work… both of you. Even though I can't see how hard you were training; I know," he told them, "Let's give today's Gym battle our very best and hope it's enough."

The door leading to the Pokémon Center opened and closed, and Damon sniffed the air. The revolting stench of bad cologne filled his nostrils and he shook his head.

"What do you want?" he asked Tyrell.

"Look, man. I didn't mean to take it all out on you yesterday. I was bummed out and…," Tyrell responded.

"I don't need your pity," Damon cut him off.

Tyrell looked taken aback by Damon's words. He watched as Damon calmly returned Froakie and Fletchling to their Pokéballs.

"Come on, dude. W-When I lost, everything my Dad would tell me came back, and it messed me up," Tyrell explained himself.

"Okay," Damon responded, "I still don't need an apology. I get it. I couldn't see you were upset. I assumed you won. My bad."

"Dude…," Tyrell tried interjecting.

Damon cut him off again by simply walking away from the conversation. Tyrell turned and followed Damon with his gaze until he returned inside the Pokémon Center. The door closed between them and Tyrell finally blinked. He groaned, throwing his head back in dismay.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Damon stood outside the Santalune City Gym with Savannah by his side. Tyrell had told her of Damon's reaction to his apology attempt and it worried Savannah. Damon gripped his cane so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.

"You got this, babe," Savannah assured him, gripping his shoulder.

Damon exhaled and stepped into the front of the Santalune City Gym. Savannah followed him inside and gave the pictures of the Bug-type Pokémon on the walls another quick look. The receptionist for the Gym beamed when he saw Damon and Savannah.

"Hello you two. Are you ready for your Gym battle, Mr. Pierce?" he asked.

"Yes," he responded, "Where is the Gym Leader?"

"Right over here," a woman with light blonde hair stated.

Savannah turned to look at the woman. She was in her late-twenties and light green eyes observed Damon and Savannah. She was wearing a white tank top with a camera around her neck, cropped pants with tons of pockets, and brown ankle boots.

"I'm Viola, the Santalune City Gym Leader," she introduced herself.

"Damon Pierce. Your challenger," Damon responded, stepping toward the sound of her voice.

Viola nodded, taking in Damon's confidence, and smiled.

"I was told of your… disability. I've never faced a blind Trainer before," Viola stated.

"Well… you know what they say about first times," Damon responded.

"The battlefield is this way," Viola told them.

Savannah led Damon out a door Viola had opened for them. He felt the sun, but not the wind, so he knew they were still inside. It was hotter than what he remembered it to be, so Damon assumed they were under a glass roof.

"What's it look like?" he asked Savannah, hoping to confirm his assumptions.

"We're in a greenhouse, I think," she explained, "There's a battlefield right in front of us."

She led him to the battlefield and Damon stood in his place as a challenger. Viola trekked to the opposite end and stood in her place as the Gym Leader. Savannah kissed Damon's cheek.

"Good luck," she told him before hurrying off to the bleachers.

"How many Pokémon do you have, Damon?" Viola asked.

"Just two, but they're all I need to beat you," he responded.

Savannah winced at hearing his cockiness. Even Viola was taken by surprise and blinked for a moment before grinning.

"Don't be so sure. I'm never go easy on my opponents and I hope to make this as picture-perfect as possible," she countered.

The receptionist then hurried out onto the battlefield, wearing a striped black and white uniform.

"The Gym battle between the Santalune City Gym Leader, Viola, and her challenger, Damon Pierce of Vaniville Town, will now begin! Both will use only two Pokémon and only the challenger may switch during the battle! The winner will be decided when both Pokémon on either side are no longer able to continue battling!" he announced, "Will the challenger please send out their first Pokémon!?"

Damon felt for the Pokéballs on his belt and steadied his breathing. His heart beat a million time a minute. This was it. This was his first Gym battle. Everything he had worked so hard for in his life had now come to a finite moment. This was where he received confirmation that his dream was within his grasp. This was it.

"Go Fletchling!" he called out.

The Tiny Robin Pokémon appeared from his Pokéball and happily flew around the battlefield before landing on Damon's shoulder. Viola nodded and smirked.

"Go Surskit!" she called out.

A Pokémon appeared before her that Damon immediately scanned with his Pokédex.

"Surskit, the Pond Skater Pokémon. They usually live on ponds, but after an evening shower, they may appear on puddles in towns," his Pokédex stated.

"A Water-and-Bug-type," Damon muttered under his breath, "Interesting."

"Begin!" the receptionist/referee announced.

"Surskit, use Rain Dance!" Viola began the battle.

Dark clouds blocked out the sun overhead and Damon felt rain drops bounce against his forehead. Savannah yelped from the stands as the rain hit her as well. A cover rolled out over the bleachers to protect her from becoming further soaked.

"A light drizzle never bothered us, right Fletchling?" Damon asked his Pokémon, "Now let's start things off with Peck!"

The new move learned earlier today started off with Fletchling's beak glowing white with built-up energy. He dove straight for Surskit with intent to deliver the super effective blow.

"Dodge it!" Viola ordered.

Surskit simply skated sideways to avoid the hit, moving impressively quick. Fletchling hovered in the air as the rain continued battering him. Surskit stopped off to his side and smirked.

"Icy Wind!" Viola commanded.

A brisk breeze with powdery snow amidst was whipped up by Surskit and directed straight for Fletchling. It was blindingly fast. Damon's eyes widened, because he did not expect Surskit to know an Ice-type attack. The freezing wind turned rain drops into icy bullets and battered Fletchling alongside the snow. The Tiny Robin cried out and hit the suddenly iced-over battlefield. Fletchling slipped and slid while trying to right himself.

"Quick Attack!" Viola ordered.

Surskit skated along the iced-over battlefield with ease and slammed into Fletchling hard. The Normal-and-Flying-type slid across the battlefield straight past Damon before hitting the base of a nearby tree. Damon turned toward the sound of the impact and swallowed a hard lump that had grown in his throat. He did not know whether Fletchling was okay or not. A weak tweet quickly answered his question and Damon moved to return Fletchling to his Pokéball.

"Infestation!" Viola's command broke his heart.

A black powder was shot from the opposite end of the battlefield and hit Fletchling before Damon could return him to his Pokéball. The Pokéball's energy was then prevented from returning Fletchling due to the Infestation crawling all over the Tiny Robin Pokémon. Fletchling cried out in pain from the damage inflicted onto him by Infestation.

"Damn it…," Damon muttered under his breath.

"End this with Icy Wind!" Viola called out.

Surskit produced another burst of freezing wind that gathered up rain drops along the way, turning them into frozen bullets that battered Fletchling, and ended his suffering with a swift knockout.

"Fletchling is unable to battle!" the receptionist/referee announced.

"My Surskit has an Ability known as Swift Swim. During rainy weather, her speed is doubled," Viola explained, "Still confident over there, Damon?"

Damon solemnly returned his Pokémon to his Pokéball and clipped it to his belt. As expected, the Gym Leader was tough. The mixture of type coverage with Surskit's attacks, the rain giving her more speed to hit quicker and dodge anything Damon could throw back, and the ice melding together with the Rain Dance and soaked battlefield. No wonder Tyrell lost.

"You can do this, Damon! You're the strongest Trainer I know!" Savannah called out from the sidelines.

He mulled over her encouragement. She always encouraged him. It was something she took great pride in doing, but was she only doing so because she felt she had to as his girlfriend, his friend? Did she _really _think he could win? Did she _really _think he was the strongest Trainer she knew?

Damon grabbed the last occupied Pokéball on his belt and expanded it within his hand. There was only one way to show whether Savannah's encouragement was well-earned. He had to keep fighting.

"Let's go Froakie!" he called out his final Pokémon.

The Water-type appeared and nearly immediately slid on the frozen battlefield, but righted himself before doing so. Viola and Surskit faced off against their next opponent. This was it. This was everything to Damon. Was he just some blind fool who was in over his head, or was he a Pokémon Trainer? This. Was. It.


	7. Buggin' Out Part 2

"Sandslash, use Rollout!" Damon ordered.

The Ground-type Pokémon before him curled into a ball with its spiny quills pointed outward. It then charged straight toward his opponent with great haste.

"Knock it off course with Shadow Ball, Banette!" Tyrell countered.

His Ghost-type Pokémon rapidly fired off a multitude of shadowy orbs that exploded against the ground between it and the oncoming Sandslash. The Mouse Pokémon's defenses were too high; however, and it persevered through the barrage. Sandslash hopped up and hit Banette with full-force, disintegrating the Marionette Pokémon into pixels. Sandslash landed and uncurled, standing proud in victory before it too disintegrated into pixels.

The battlefield around Damon and Tyrell wiped away and was replaced by your average school gymnasium. Three dozen students clapped respectfully at the mock battle between the two highly ranked students. Damon grinned with his victory and felt someone clap a hand against his back. He turned and looked straight at Tyrell with bright and shiny eyes.

"Good job, man," he congratulated him, "One of these days, I'll beat you."

"Hopefully. Winning all the time gets boring," Damon responded.

Their battle coach approached with hands on his hips. He gleamed down proudly at Damon and opened his mouth. A loud beeping noise suddenly woke Damon from his dream and he shot straight up in bed. His Holo Caster's alarm clock beeped alongside him and Savannah groaned with irritation.

"Alarm clock, off," Damon ordered and silenced the device.

He reached out and felt for his cane, but could not find it. Damon's heart rate escalated and the memory of him being robbed in Santalune Forest struck the back of his consciousness like a bat.

"H-Hey…," he spoke shakily, "I can't find my cane. Savannah… I can't find my cane."

Her green eyes were forced open and she sat up, rubbing them.

"Okay, okay. I'll find it for you," she said, "Don't freak out."

She stood up and ambled around to the other side of the bed they shared. Savannah found his cane on the floor and deduced it must have fallen during the night. She laid it on Damon's lap and climbed back into bed.

"Wake me up at nine, kay?" she told him.

"Okay," he muttered in response.

He planted the cane on the ground and stood up out of bed. Damon swayed his cane back and forth to navigate across the room. He left the room and made his way to the cafeteria adjacent to the main lobby of the Pokémon Center. After ordering himself a coffee, Damon found his way to a seat, and sat down to enjoy a quiet morning drink. His Holo Caster beeped and he pressed a button for the notification to be read aloud to him.

"Reminder: Battle with Santalune City Gym Leader today at noon," the mobile device informed him.

* * *

Froakie faced off against Surskit as the rain continued to fall. Damon knew it would assist Froakie by upping the damage of his Water-type attack, Bubble, but Surskit was much too fast for it to really even matter. He needed to slow down Surskit if he had any hopes in beating her.

"Froakie, chuck your Frubble at Surskit!" Damon called out.

Froakie grabbed a wad of the sticky foam-like material that grew around his neck and hurled it at the Pond Skater Pokémon.

"Dodge it!" Viola countered.

Surskit dodged the Frubble by sliding off to the side.

"Again!" Damon ordered.

"Dodge it again!" Viola countered.

Surskit once again dodged another wad of Frubble.

"Keep throwing the Frubble, Froakie!" Damon ordered.

Over and over and over again, Froakie chucked wads of his Frubble at Surskit that she dodged over and over and over again. Soon enough, the entire battlefield was covered in Frubble. As Surskit skated about, she found it more and more difficult to avoid the Frubble.

"Now use Bubble!" Damon ordered as the rain continued to fall.

Froakie leapt up into the air and launched a bubbly flurry down onto Surskit.

"Dodge it!" Viola cried out.

Surskit tried dodging the attack, but one of her legs wound up getting caught in a wad of Frubble. She did not move far enough out of the path of the Bubble to avoid it and was struck. Viola gritted her teeth, but silently thanked Arceus that the attack was not at all effective despite the power boost from Rain Dance.

"Freeze the Frubble with Icy Wind and break free!" she ordered.

From her antennae, Surskit emitted the freezing wind and it froze the Frubble until it was hard as a rock. With one desperate pull, Surskit shattered the frozen foam, and freed herself. The other Frubble wads were frozen solid as well and adorned a frozen battlefield like pale-colored stones. The dark clouds overhead soon faded away and the sun returned.

"Pound, Froakie!" Damon ordered.

Surskit was blind-sided by Froakie's sudden appearance. All of her attention had been placed on freeing herself from his Frubble trap. Froakie drove a glowing fist into her face and sent her sliding across the iced over battlefield, smashing through several of the frozen Frubble wads, and then slamming into the base of a nearby tree. Viola turned to check on her Pokémon's condition as the referee followed suit with the same action.

"Surskit is unable to battle!" the receptionist/referee announced.

Viola grimaced, but was impressed by Damon's clever way to remove Surskit's maneuverability from the occasion. The sun overheard started melting the ice and thawed out the Frubble wads. Viola returned Surskit to her Pokéball and readied her final Pokémon.

"Let's go Vivillon!" she called out.

Another Bug Pokémon appeared and hovered in front of Viola with assistance from a pair of powder-covered wings. Damon aimed his Pokédex in the Pokémon's general direction and scanned her.

"Vivillon, the Scale Pokémon. Vivillon with many different patterns are found all over the world. These patterns are affected by the climate of their habitat," his Pokédex stated.

"We need to be smart, Froakie," he told the Water-type standing before him, "No room for error."

Froakie nodded, croaking so his Trainer could know of his agreement, and glared at Vivillon. Viola suddenly took her camera and captured a picture of her Vivillon facing off against Froakie. She grinned as she let the device fall back against her chest.

"I love seeing such a picturesque scene," she admitted, "It is wonderful."

"Wish I could agree," Damon responded with a smirk.

Viola's eyes widened and she looked regretfully at her opponent.

"I-I'm sorry! I meant no disrespect!" she exclaimed.

"Hey, it doesn't _bug _me if someone talks about something they like to look at," Damon responded.

"Boo," Savannah shared her opinion of his joke from the sidelines.

"You two may begin," the receptionist/referee pointed out.

"Right! Vivillon, start off with Stun Spore!" Viola ordered.

A yellowish powder was emitted from Vivillon's wings and she flew toward Froakie, spreading it across the battlefield.

"Dodge it, Froakie! Don't let it touch you!" Damon countered.

Froakie used his speed to his advantage and kept ahead of Vivillon's Stun Spore.

"Whip up the Stun Spore with Gust!" Viola called out.

Vivillon stopped blanketing the battlefield with the paralyzing powder and flapped her wings to spread it all over. Now Froakie had nowhere to run and was forced to breathe in the powder. Static coursed over his form and he was paralyzed by the Stun Spore. Damon clenched his fists tightly and gritted his teeth.

"Froakie, use Bubble!" he called out.

Froakie tried to attack, but the paralysis inflicted by Stun Spore rendered him immobile.

"Now use Infestation!" Viola ordered.

Vivillon flew overhead and a black powder coated Froakie and dealt damage to him. He cried out in pain as the Infestation returned to deal even more damage.

"Froakie!" Damon cried out, "You have to fight back! Use Bubble!"

"Gust!" Viola ordered.

Froakie fought the paralysis off and fired a bubbly flurry at Vivillon, but the Bug-and-Flying-type responded by whipping up another gust of wind by flapping her wings. The Gust popped the oncoming Bubble and blew Froakie across the battlefield. He landed on one of his Frubble wads and another round of Infestation hit him. He cried out in pain again and Damon stood there helplessly as tears formed in his unseeing eyes.

"F-Froakie…," he muttered under his breath.

Despite it all, Froakie pushed himself to his feet, and wiped at his face. He croaked, letting Damon know he was still standing. Damon wiped at his eyes and grinned, feeling encouraged by his Pokémon's resilience. It was at this moment that Damon understood Viola's strategy with Vivillon. None of her attacks were fairly strong, but with the combination of the three Damon's seen so far, they would eventually widdle down just about any Pokémon. Stun Spore left the opponent unable to attack, Gust would batter them around and block any attacks that bypass the paralysis, and Infestation would slowly widdle the opponent's health. Damon did not know what the fourth move could be, but he figured it must be another powder move like Stun Spore to cover where that attack could not be used.

"Use Gust, Vivillon!" Viola ordered.

"Hold onto the nearest Frubble!" Damon called out.

Vivillon sent another gust of wind at Froakie, but he quickly grabbed the Frubble wad that remained on the battlefield from his prior battle against Surskit. Froakie kept himself from being blown away and grinned up at Vivillon in triumph.

Damon knew Vivillon was not the fastest, strongest, or toughest Pokémon, but her status moves made her dangerous. All he needed to do was deliver a single attack.

"Use Quick Attack!" Damon ordered.

Froakie fought through the paralysis from Stun Spore as hard as he could, but was still unable to move. Infestation fell over him yet again and Froakie cried out in pain. He was becoming unsteady from the seemingly endless assault. Damon just needed one attack and that's it. Just one attack.

"Quick Attack!" he ordered.

"Use Gust and end this!" Viola called out, knowing the battle was nearing its end.

Froakie dug deep. Energy swirled around him. He broke past the paralysis inflicted against him. Vivillon flapped her wings, sending a powerful Gust down at him. Froakie leapt straight into it. Viola's eyes widened as she saw this unfold before her. Despite her Pokémon's best efforts, Froakie's Quick Attack gave him enough speed to power through the Gust.

"Pound!" Damon ordered.

With the added energy from Quick Attack, Froakie focused it all into his fist, and he threw a punch right at Vivillon, hitting her square in the face. A shockwave of energy resulted from the impact and both Pokémon were sent crashing back down to the battlefield. Both hit the ground hard, kicking up flumes of dust that concealed them from everyone's view. For the briefest moment, everyone else in attendance gained Damon's perspective of the battle. Finally, the dust settled, and revealed that both Froakie and Vivillon were still standing. Damon clenched his jaw when he did not hear the referee call the match. His assumption of Vivillon was wrong, but it didn't matter. Another good hit should…

Infestation rolled over Froakie's form one last time and he cried out in pain before collapsing to the ground. The referee ran forward to check on Froakie's status, but the Water-type lay there unmoving. Damon's whole world came crashing down and he swallowed a lump in his throat.

"F-Froakie," he muttered under his breath.

"Froakie is unable to…," the receptionist/referee began calling the match.

Vivillon suddenly cried out, cutting him off, and she fell to the ground in an unconscious heap. The referee shook his head despite this happening as Froakie was the first to fall. He cleared his throat and collected himself.

"Froakie is unable to…," he called out once more, but was again cut off from finishing his declaration.

This time; however, the interruption came from Froakie and the Water-type began pushing himself up off the ground. He was never unconscious! Froakie shook himself off and wiped his mouth before glaring up at the referee standing over him as if to dare him to say he could no longer continue battling. The referee was momentarily stunned, but he had enough experience with his job to call the match correctly.

"_Vivillon _is unable to battle; therefore, the match is over and Damon Pierce is the winner!" he announced.

Damon fell to the ground in relief and was rendered silent by the result of his first ever Gym battle. Viola returned Vivillon to her Pokéball and the Infestation left Froakie immediately. He crawled over to where Damon sat and pulled himself onto his Trainer's lap.

"Good work, Froakie. Rest up and I'll get you to a Pokémon Center as soon as possible," he whispered.

Footsteps approached Damon and the sweet smell of Pecha Berries filled his nose as Savannah tackled him to the ground. He felt her hair caressing his face and her lips press against his.

"You won!" she shouted in his face.

"I did," Damon responded, "Mind helping me up?"

Savannah stood and helped Damon to his feet. He brushed himself off and heard two more sets of footsteps approaching. Savannah saw Viola and her receptionist walk up to them, wearing smiles.

"That was one of the best battles I've had in a long while. Thank you, Damon," Viola stated.

"I would've never guessed I'd be so exhausted from just standing around and barking orders," Damon admitted, "Will all my Gym battles make me feel so drained?"

"Only the good ones," Viola responded, "Now, as proof of your victory here today at the Santalune City Gym, I present you with the Bug Badge!"

Viola plucked a badge from inside one of the many pockets on her pants and placed it into Damon's hand. He felt the smooth surface and grinned weakly to himself.

"Let me see," Savannah demanded, lifting his hand up so she could admire the badge as well.

It resembled a beetle and was red and green in color with a gold trim. The surface was shiny and Damon felt its considerable weight for something so small.

"Th-Thank you," he told Viola.

He sniffled and wiped at his eyes as tears made their unwanted appearance in them. Why was he crying? He won for Arceus's sake! Savannah cooed affectionately upon seeing Damon become overcome with emotion and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"Let's go to the Pokémon Center, babe. You and your Pokémon have been through a lot," she told him.

"O-Okay," he responded weakly.

Damon practically collapsed onto the bed in his and Savannah's room at the Santalune City Pokémon Center. He was absent-mindedly rubbing his thumb against the surface of the Bug Badge while Savannah counted the winnings from his battle against Viola.

"You just made two thousand, six hundred, and sixteen Pokédollars," she informed Damon, tossing the wad of cash down onto their bed.

She straddled his lap and grinned down at Damon, but he seemed distracted. Savannah's grin faltered and she cocked her head to the side.

"You okay?" she asked.

"It just feels so unlike everything I thought it would feel like," Damon muttered.

Savannah rolled off his lap and lay beside him on the bed.

"How so?" she questioned.

"I don't even know how to explain it to be honest," Damon responded.

"You're probably in shock. That battle was about as close as you could get from going either way," Savannah explained, "You need some rest."

"I'm too excited to rest," Damon responded.

"Then let's fuck," Savannah stated with a shoulder shrug.

"I'm too tired to fuck," Damon told her.

"Then what do you want to do then?" Savannah asked.

* * *

Damon sat outside of the Pokémon Center. The mid-afternoon sun beat down on his head, but there was a gentle breeze going through the city to make up for this. He had his Holo Caster to his ear and his knee bobbed up and down.

"Hello?" Harold Pierce answered his son's phone call, "Everything okay, Damon?"

"Y-Yeah… everything's great," Damon responded, "I uh… I won my first Gym battle today."

"That's incredible, son!" Harold exclaimed, "Tell me all about it!"

Damon laughed to himself and began retelling the Gym battle as much as he could to his father. Unbeknownst to Damon, he was being watched by Tyrell, who stared through a window at him.

"Don't you have anything better to do than to stalk my boyfriend?" Savannah asked jokingly, making Tyrell jump.

"Damn it, Red. You almost made me piss my pants," Tyrell responded.

"What're you doing?" Savannah questioned.

"I uh… I tried apologizing to Damon earlier; before his Gym battle. He rejected it," Tyrell revealed.

"Wait, what?" Savannah asked, "What do you mean he rejected it?"

"I mean he refused to even listen to anything I had to say. Told me he didn't need my pity," Tyrell explained.

Savannah frowned at this and stepped toward the window to look out at Damon. Why would he react so negatively to Tyrell? What was going on with Damon?


	8. Best Friends Forever

After Damon was finished speaking to his father, he slid his Holo Caster into his pocket, and sighed to himself. He heard a door open and an awful cologne stench filled his senses. Damon felt his entire being clench as Tyrell approached him. Tyrell stopped just before him and stood there in silence, trying to read Damon as best he could.

"Are you going to say anything?" Damon asked him after the silence wore down on him.

"Savannah told me you beat Viola," Tyrell stated.

"Heh… you two have been talking? Without me there to act as a buffer? Are you trying to steal her from me, Ty?" Damon responded.

"Psh, she could do way better than me, so don't you worry," Tyrell assured.

"Oh I'm not and she is… doing better than you," Damon countered.

"Okay, now you're just being a dick," Tyrell responded.

Damon stood up and tapped Tyrell on his leg to silently tell him to move aside. He did not. Damon pressed the end of his cane into the dirt and gripped it tightly.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"I want your help. I want you to help me train," Tyrell responded, "Figured it'd be a good way to get myself up to the task of beating Viola."

He stretched his limbs out, assuming Damon would agree to his request.

"No," Damon told him, taking Tyrell aback.

He stood there, dumbfounded by rejection, and then he shook his head in disbelief.

"What do you mean, no?" he asked.

"It's the opposite of yes," Damon countered.

"Dude, what the fuck is your problem?" Tyrell questioned, "I'm sorry I hurt your feelings the other day, but _fuck_!"

Damon did not wish to be in this conversation-turned-confrontation any longer, so he swatted Tyrell on his shin with his cane, and forcibly moved him aside. He left for the Pokémon Center without a word. Tyrell was reduced to hopping around on one leg before collecting himself.

"Prick!" Tyrell shouted, taking off his shoe, and chucking it at Damon.

It struck him against the back of his head, stunning him. Damon slowly turned to face Tyrell, eyes widened in surprise. Tyrell crossed his arms over his chest.

"D-Did you just throw a shoe at me?" Damon asked.

"You're acting like a dickhead and that's what I do to dickheads," Tyrell responded, "Now are you gonna stay here and talk to me or are you gonna run inside like a little bitch?"

"Fuck you!" Damon shouted.

"Fuck you!" Tyrell shouted back.

"Fuck you! Fuck you! Fuck you! Fuck you!" they both shouted at each other repeatedly until the point that their voices melded in perfect unity.

Tyrell then took his other shoe off and threw it at Damon, hitting him in the chest this time. Damon caught the shoe before it hit the ground and threw it back at Tyrell, but missing him entirely.

"I'm _this _close to ignoring the fact that you're blind and kicking your fucking ass!" Tyrell shouted.

"As if you could kick my ass!" Damon snapped.

"That's it! You're no longer blind to me!" Tyrell roared before charging at Damon.

Damon heard his approach and readied himself. He gripped his cane tightly and swung it when Tyrell was close, but Tyrell anticipated this, and ducked under it. Tyrell tackled Damon to the dirt and the two started grappling sloppily.

"Get off of me!" Damon ordered, pushing up with his hand against Tyrell's face.

Tyrell did not want to hurt Damon, but he also wanted to kick his ass, so one could see the dilemma he was facing. Neither of them threw punches, but they continued rolling around the dirt together. Savannah eventually ran out of the Pokémon Center when she walked by the window to check how their conversation was going.

"What the _hell _is going on!?" she shouted in a commanding tone that stilled both Damon and Tyrell.

Both were seething rage through their nostrils as they picked themselves up off the dirt. Savannah glared at them both and then sighed. She grabbed Damon and Tyrell by their earlobes.

"Ow! Ow!" they both shouted.

"You two are going to talk _without _insulting each other or so help me, Arceus, I will destroy you both," she threatened.

She released her grip on their ears and both stood there rubbing their pinched lobes.

"Now talk," Savannah ordered, hands on her hips.

"Tell him," Tyrell muttered under his breath, "I've been trying to talk to him, but he's been a little…"

Savannah's burning green glare silenced him and he looked away before he could catch fire. Savannah then turned to Damon and he felt the heat of her glare on his face.

"What has been your malfunction lately?" she asked him.

"I'm fine," Damon responded.

"Tauros-shit. You've been off ever since we got to the city and don't you dare tell me otherwise, because I've known you too damn long to fall for that lie," Savannah countered.

"This is pointless. I'm tired, I'm stressed, and I just want to go to bed," Damon responded.

"If you don't tell us what's wrong, Damon. You will be going to bed by yourself," Savannah threatened.

"Oh dang," Tyrell chimed in, earning an irritated look from both Damon and Savannah.

Damon bit his lips and closed his eyes. His heart was accelerating in his chest and he shook his head with frustration.

"I feel so fucking weak, okay?" he finally spoke, "This stupid fucking cane was taken from me and I was so _weak _without it! I hated feeling like that!"

Damon angrily threw his cane across the training field and it landed in some nearby bushes.

"I was attacked and robbed and I was so _defenseless_!" he continued, "I never felt so defenseless before."

His shoulders slumped weakly. Savannah's glare softened and she looked at her boyfriend empathetically.

"When I lost my sight… my Dad coddled me so much. He made me feel safe. He helped me through my childhood so my disability wouldn't be so damn disabling. Then at school, I had you two… I had the teachers and the headmaster. I had _so many _people coddling me that I expected the whole world to do the same to me when I started this fucking journey," Damon revealed.

Tears formed in his eyes and he wiped them away.

"But it isn't. It won't. This world will never show me mercy and I'm stupid for thinking it would," he stated, "That… woman in Santalune Forest… she'll be the first of many to take advantage of me because I can't see."

"Damon…," Savannah muttered sadly under her breath.

"I wish I could see you," Damon told her, "I would give _everything _to be able to see."

For the first time since they've known Damon, Savannah and Tyrell have heard him openly admit to wanting his sight back. Never before has he shown them this level of vulnerability and it was damn near heartbreaking for them to witness. Neither of them knew how to comfort Damon. A simple it's gonna be okay buddy was not going to be enough in this situation.

"I'm sorry I took all of this out on you two," he apologized.

Damon took in a breath and looked over toward the scent of Pecha Berries.

"I… I still need my stupid cane," he told her ashamedly.

"I'll go get it," Tyrell offered.

Without another word, he jogged over to the bush Damon had thrown his cane at. He plucked it out of the foliage and returned to Damon and Savannah where he placed the cane into Damon's grasp.

"We cool?" Tyrell asked him.

"Y-Yeah… I think," Damon responded.

Tyrell put a hand on his shoulder and smirked.

"You're still a dickhead," he pointed out.

"Yeah… I know," Damon grumbled, "Look… if you'll still have me, I'll help train you tomorrow."

"Sounds good, dude. See you tomorrow," Tyrell responded with a grin.

He removed his hand from Damon's shoulder and watched as he and Savannah returned to the Pokémon Center. Tyrell's grin immediately faltered and an unsure rush of emotion flowed over him.

"Damn…," he muttered under his breath.

That evening, Damon lay in bed with his hands folded atop his stomach. Savannah lay on her side next to him and stared with concern. Damon shifted uncomfortably and turned onto his side, facing Savannah.

"You're staring too much," he pointed out, "I might be blind, but I can still feel when someone is staring at me."

"I'm worried about you," Savannah stated.

"That's… understandable," Damon responded.

"Have you thought about talking to anyone about how you feel? It looked like you released a lot of pent-up emotion earlier," Savannah asked.

Damon shook his head and turned back to face the ceiling. Savannah scooted closer and kissed Damon's chin.

"I'm here for you, y'know?" she told him, "If you need someone to talk to… I'm here."

"I know," Damon responded.

Damon did not want to make his feelings toward Savannah's expected reassurances known. Kisses and there-there won't make thirteen years of blindness all better. He sighed heavily and rubbed at his eyes.

"I wish I could've been there when that bitch robbed you. I would've beaten her ass," Savannah grumbled.

"She had a knife," Damon pointed out.

"So? I would've cut her fucking throat with it then," Savannah responded.

Damon smiled and shook his head. At least Savannah always knew how to make him feel warm. He figured it was the benefit of being a human ball of fire.

"I love you. I feel like I don't tell you that enough," he stated, "You're one of the few people who can see me as more than just some blind guy."

"Because you're so much more than some blind guy," Savannah responded, "You're so sweet and generous and level-headed. That's why I was so concerned with how you've been acting lately."

Damon nodded and sniffled back the tears he could feel building up in his eyes. He felt guilty over how he had been acting lately. It was unfair to take his frustrations toward the world and himself out on the few people who actually cared about him.

"I really don't deserve you," he stated.

"No you don't, but someone messed up when they were assigning us our soul mates, so here we are," Savannah responded.

"Thank you soul mate guy who messed up. Hope you didn't get fired for scoring me this one," Damon stated.

Savannah laughed and draped herself over Damon, kissing him fiercely until he was left breathless. Damon chuckled and rolled Savannah onto her back. He laid himself on top of her and kissed her back.

The next morning, Damon met Tyrell out on the practice field outside of the Santalune City Pokémon Center. Tyrell shot to his feet the moment he saw Damon exit the red-roofed building.

"Sup bro?" he greeted him.

"You _really _need to switch to a different cologne," Damon responded.

"Then how will you know it's me?" Tyrell asked.

"Trust me… I'll find a way," Damon countered, smirking a little bit.

"Okay, okay. Enough talking shit on me. Where're we gonna begin with the whole training thing?" Tyrell asked.

"What Pokémon do you plan on using against Viola?" Damon asked.

Tyrell simply grabbed two Pokéballs off his belt and tossed them up into the air. They burst open and Chespin and another Pokémon appeared in front of him.

"Chespin and Bunnelby," Tyrell revealed.

Damon nodded and quickly scanned them with his Pokédex.

"Chespin, the Spiny Nut Pokémon. The quills on its head are usually soft. When it flexes them, the points become so hard and sharp that they can pierce rock. Bunnelby, the Digging Pokémon. They use their large ears to dig burrows. They will dig the whole night through," his Pokédex stated.

"Are you sure about Chespin?" Damon asked, "He's at a disadvantage against Viola's Bug-type Pokémon."

Chespin seemed outraged at Damon's doubt in his ability and looked up to Tyrell, begging his Trainer to let him defend himself against such an offense.

"Chespin's my toughest Pokémon, and you know damn well that type advantage doesn't guarantee you a win," Tyrell responded.

"Okay… you need a strategy to take care of Surskit first. She's fast as hell and will hit you constantly," Damon explained, "Then there's Vivillon… a lot of status effects to render you immobile and widdle down your Pokémon's energy."

"I already got a strategy to beat Viola," Tyrell responded.

"Oh? What is it?" Damon asked, tilting his head to the side.  
"Hit her Pokémon as hard as we can!" Tyrell exclaimed, pumping his fists into the air.

Damon went silent for a long moment and then shook his head with so much disapproval.

"That's not a real strategy," Damon responded.

"Yeah it is," Tyrell argued.

"Did you use that "strategy" in your first match?" Damon asked.

"Of course. It's a good strategy. I just need to be stronger so it can work against Viola," Tyrell explained.

"W-Were you one of those babies who'd try to cram the square block into the round hole?" Damon asked.

"How'd you know?" Tyrell asked.

Damon sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Tyrell was confused with Damon's reaction to his "foolproof" strategy. Damon finally released his nose and firmly planted his cane into the dirt.

"Okay… hit me as hard as you can," he told Tyrell.

"Why?" Tyrell asked.

"Because you're a lonely nobody who's never gonna get laid," Damon antagonized.

"Fucking prick!" Tyrell shouted, throwing a punch with all of his might.

Damon easily ducked under Tyrell's fist and then thrust the top of his cane into the latter's gut. Tyrell had the air knocked out of his lungs and he dropped to his knees, coughing horribly. Chespin and Bunnelby rushed to his side.

"W-What… the hell?" Tyrell questioned, "How the hell?"

"Why the hell?" Damon asked sarcastically, "It's a lesson, Ty. I know how you operate. You throw with your left fist despite being right-handed. You're shorter than me by a couple of inches, so your swing is upwards a little bit. You throw _everything _you have into a single punch in hopes to end the fight right then and there."

"Do you have aura powers or something?" Tyrell asked, shaking himself off.

"This isn't a comic book," Damon countered, "I'm smart and I know you. Your strategy is as basic as they come, so a Gym Leader will be able to see through it in no time."

"Then how the hell do I come up with a new strategy is less than twenty-four hours?" Tyrell asked.

"You use your brain for once," Damon answered with a tiny smirk.

Tyrell stood there, still rubbing his stomach where Damon had struck him. He frowned and shook his head.

"Do you really think I'll never get laid?" Tyrell asked.

"Of course not," Damon responded immediately, "I'm sure you'll eventually resort to buying a prostitute."

"Asshole," Tyrell muttered.

"At least I can get laid," Damon countered, "Now let's begin devising a strategy you can use to defeat Viola."

The next day, Tyrell stood in front of the Santalune City Gym flanked by Damon and Savannah. He inhaled deeply through his nose in an attempt to calm his nerves.

"Shit, man. I ain't ready. I'm just gonna postpone for another couple of days and keep training," he stated.

"No. You're ready. Your strategy is good. Damon-approved," Damon responded.

"Ugh… don't use yourself as an adjective, dude," Tyrell grumbled.

"Ty's right. It sounds presumptuous," Savannah added.

"You know words that big?" Tyrell asked.

"You know what it feels like to have a foot crammed up your ass?" Savannah asked threateningly.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm just nervous and teasing you is my fallback when I'm nervous," Tyrell apologized.

"Then get un-nervous and kick Viola's ass before I kick yours," Savannah ordered.

"Okay!" Tyrell exclaimed, hurrying into the Gym.

Damon and Savannah followed him and the latter waved friendlily at the receptionist as he grinned upon seeing the trio.

"I take it Mr. James is here for his rematch?" the receptionist asked.

"Yep!" Tyrell exclaimed nervously.

"Ms. Viola is waiting for you out on the battlefield," the receptionist revealed.

Tyrell took in a deep breath and looked back at Damon and Savannah.

"You got this," Savannah assured him.

Damon nodded in agreement and Tyrell took in another deep breath before marching toward the door leading out into the battlefield. Damon and Savannah followed close behind and hand-in-hand.


	9. Picture Perfect

Tyrell stood sturdy in his place as he faced off against Viola. She cocked an eyebrow at his immediately different approach to their battle. Last time Tyrell came into her Gym acting like his shit did not stink and that he was the best Trainer in the world. Now he was much more composed. Viola's gaze quickly darted over to Damon and Savannah. They all knew each other and she wondered how much of those two rubbed off onto Tyrell during the span between their battles.

"The Gym battle between the Santalune City Gym Leader, Viola, and her challenger, Tyrell James of Vaniville Town, will now begin! Both will use only two Pokémon and only the challenger may switch during the battle! The winner will be decided when both Pokémon on either side are no longer able to continue battling!" the referee announced, "Will the challenger please send out their first Pokémon!?"

"Let's go Bunnelby!" Tyrell called out.

Viola nodded. He used Bunnelby in their last battle. The Normal-type was quickly taken out by her Surskit. Viola was eager to see if Tyrell would be able to prevent history from repeating itself.

"Go Surskit!" she called out.

Both Pokémon faced off against each other, glaring fiercely at their respective opponent, and the referee looked between the two combatants before raising his arms.

"Begin!" he called out.

"Rain Dance!" Viola ordered.

Dark clouds loomed overhead and rain started to fall inside the Gym. The awning quickly slid over the bleachers to protect Damon and Savannah from the downpour. The battlefield quickly became slick with mud.

"Bunnelby, use Mud-Slap!" Tyrell ordered.

His Digging Pokémon quickly reacted by slinging mud at Surskit with his ears.

"Dodge it!" Viola ordered.

Surskit quickly darted off to the side, avoiding the attack.

"Now use Icy Wind!" Viola called out.

A burst of frozen wind came rushing over from Surskit's antennae. Tyrell smirked.

"Use Dig!" he shouted.

Bunnelby jumped up into the air before diving straight down into the muck. His ears immediately dug a tunnel for himself to reside in and avoid the oncoming Icy Wind. Viola's eyes widened immediately. Bunnelby never used Dig during their first battle, so the Normal-type must have learned it afterwards. It does not matter. One new move will not guarantee victory for Tyrell.

"Keep moving around Surskit! Don't stay in one place!" she told her Pokémon.

Surskit rapidly moved across the entire frozen battlefield while keeping an eye out for Bunnelby. The Normal-type Pokémon suddenly burst out from under the battlefield ahead of her, so Surskit skated to the right. Bunnelby descended once more. This process repeated itself until the entire battlefield was covered in exit/entrance holes to the expansive tunnels that Bunnelby had dug out. Viola's eyes widened even further when she realized Surskit was gaining lesser and lesser area to move around.

"Surskit, freeze over the holes with Icy Wind!" she called out.

Surskit stopped and a wave of freezing wind emitted from her antennae.

"Use Quick Attack!" Tyrell shouted.

Bunnelby burst out from directly beneath Surskit and sent the Pond Skater Pokémon flying.

"Now use Mud Shot!" Tyrell added.

Bunnelby took aim and fired globs of mud at Surskit as she flew through the air. The mud hit her and continued her trajectory forward until she smacked into a tree behind Viola. Surskit slid to the roots and was unconscious.

"Surskit is unable to battle!" the receptionist/referee announced.

Tyrell breathed a sigh of relief. One down, one to go, and even better was that Bunnelby took no damage from the first battle. Viola returned Surskit to her Pokéball and grinned at Tyrell.

"Someone's been training," she sang at him, "Good strategy, but I hope it's not the only one you got."

Tyrell swallowed a hard lump in his throat and Viola tossed her second Pokéball up into the air. It burst open, releasing Vivillon with a stunning display of energy. The unoccupied Pokéball returned to Viola's grasp and she smirked.

"Use Stun Spore," she ordered.

Vivillon flew overhead, releasing the paralyzing powder all over the battlefield.

"Dive underground, Bunnelby!" Tyrell shouted.

Bunnelby quickly dove into a nearby hole and evaded the Stun Spore. Vivillon returned to Viola's side of the battlefield and held her position before her Trainer.

"Right where I want you," Viola whispered to herself.

Damon heard this and he clenched his knees. He wanted to warn Tyrell, but knew it was against League rules. Savannah noticed Damon tensing up beside her and took her eye off the battle to check on him.

"Use Gust into the nearest hole!" Viola ordered.

Vivillon flew down to one of the many holes that Bunnelby had dug into the battlefield. She flapped her wings, sending a powerful burst of wind through the snaking tunnels beneath the battlefield. Plumes of dirt erupted from several of the closer holes like geysers. The bursts of dirt continued spreading out across the holes in the battlefield before finally Bunnelby was caught up in one of them.

"Now use Infestation!" Viola ordered.

Vivillon stopped flapping wind into the tunnels beneath her and shot a black powder at Bunnelby, hitting the Normal-type Pokémon in the face with it. He fell and wavered a little bit before the Infestation crawled all over him, causing him pain.

"What just happened?" Savannah asked.

"Viola proved again why she is a Gym Leader," Damon stated.

"Bunnelby, use Quick Attack!" Tyrell called out.

"Heh, use Gust into the hole nearest!" Viola countered.

Bunnelby shook off the Infestation as best he could and gathered glowing energy around his form. He then burst forward with blinding fast speed, but Vivillon had already begun flapping Gust into the hole. Geysers of dirt erupted all around Bunnelby and the very same strategy used to limit Surskit's movement was now doing the same to Bunnelby. He was forced to stop as his path to Vivillon was now cut off by a geyser of wind and dirt. Tyrell gritted his teeth. Infestation was again inflicted upon Bunnelby and the Digging Pokémon cried out in pain.

"Vivillon, use Toxic!" Viola ordered.

The wind and dirt geysers ceased and a glob of purple ooze was launched across the battlefield, striking Bunnelby hard. The force of the impact knocked the Normal-type off his feet and he wavered as he tried to stand again. There was a purple tint adorning his cheeks and static of the same color swarmed over his body and then was followed by the Infestation. Bunnelby was poisoned; badly.

"There's the fourth move," Damon muttered under his breath.

"What do you mean?" Savannah asked.

"When I battled Vivillon; she only used three attacks. Stun Spore, Gust, and Infestation. I was curious about the fourth attack and now it makes sense. Statuses like poisoned and paralysis don't stack, so Toxic wouldn't have worked on Froakie during our battle, because he was already paralyzed. Toxic covers that last base for Viola to win most of her battles. Stun Spore won't work on Grass-type Pokémon, because they're naturally immune to it. Toxic doesn't work on Poison-types or Steel-types, because of their own natural immunity. The same doesn't count for vice-versa," Damon explained in a whisper so only Savannah could hear.

"Can Tyrell still win?" Savannah asked.

"Yes, but it won't be easy. Viola is using our strategy against us, and Toxic, Gust, and Infestation will make it difficult for Tyrell's last Pokémon," Damon stated.

"End this with Gust!" Viola ordered.

Vivillon this time whipped up a powerful wind, but directed it toward Bunnelby. The Gust easily launched the already-weakened Normal-type across the battlefield and slammed him into a tree behind where Tyrell stood. Bunnelby fell to the base of the tree and lay there, unconscious.

"Bunnelby is unable to battle!" the receptionist/referee announced.

Tyrell sighed in defeat, but there was some relief mixed within. At least Bunnelby could no longer suffer. He returned the Digging Pokémon to his Pokéball and readied his second and final partner.

"Let's go Chespin!" he called out, chucking the Pokéball into the air.

It burst open, releasing Chespin to the battlefield. The unoccupied Pokéball returned to Tyrell's possession and he wiped his nose with his sleeve, glaring intently at Viola.

"You're at a severe disadvantage, Tyrell," she pointed out.

"Types don't mean wins," he countered quickly, "Chespin and I are as tough as they come. We worked hard to get here. We worked our asses off to get where we are standing here today! No one in this fucking world can tell us we don't belong to be _right here_! Now accept your ass-whooping!"

Viola was rendered silent by Tyrell's outburst. There were some tears in his eyes, but they were passionate ones. A small smile appeared along her lips and she shakily lifted her camera. She took a picture of Tyrell and Chespin and her smile grew as she allowed her camera to fall limply against her chest.

"Earn it," she muttered under her breath, "Vivillon, use Toxic!"

"Vault over with Vine Whip!" Tyrell countered.

Vivillon lobbed another glob of poisonous ooze, but Chespin plunged a pair of vines against the earth to vault himself over the trajectory of the attack. It splashed harmlessly against the dirt where Chespin had been.

"Now use Tackle!" Tyrell ordered.

Chespin tucked himself tightly and used gravity to gather momentum. Vivillon looked up at the oncoming Grass-type.

"Knock him back with Gust!" Viola ordered.

Vivillon immediately flapped her wings and the resulting burst of wind sent Chespin flying up to the glass ceiling. He was pinned against the sturdy glass by Vivillon's Gust, but endured the super-effective attack. Vivillon ceased the Gust and gravity took hold of Chespin.

"Hit him with Infestation!" Viola shouted.

Vivillon blasted a black powder at the falling Chespin.

"Use Vine Whip to pull yourself to the tunnels!" Tyrell ordered.

Chespin's vines launched out of his shoulders and probed into the rim of a hole beneath him. Chespin then pulled himself out of the path of the Infestation and into the relative safety of Bunnelby's tunnel system.

"Use Gust into the nearest hole," Viola ordered.

Vivillon hovered down above the closest hole and flapped her wings into it. Dirt and wind geysers erupted all over the battlefield and Chespin was eventually captured within one of them.

"Rollout, Chespin! Use that momentum!" Tyrell cried out.

Viola's eyes widened and she watched as Chespin tucked himself into a tight ball. His spiny quills protruded outward and the momentum from Vivillon's Gust carried him toward the glass ceiling. He hit it hard enough to crack the glass, but he ricocheted straight down onto the top of Vivillon's head, stunning her. The Gust ended immediately after the blow and Chespin retreated into the tunnel system.

"Vivillon, are you okay?" Viola checked on her Pokémon's condition.

The Scale Pokémon wavered and struggled to remain airborne.

"Rollout, again!" Tyrell ordered.

Chespin launched out of another hole and struck Vivillon in the back before disappearing into a different hole. Chespin was using the tunnel system perfectly and Vivillon was too stunned to respond to any of Viola's orders. This was it. This was victory for Tyrell. Damon stood up and grinned, knowing all too well that the battle was over. Chespin launched out again and struck Vivillon in the midsection, knocking her out once and for all.

"Vivillon is unable to battle; therefore, the match is over and Tyrell James is the winner!" the receptionist/referee exclaimed.

The weight of the world was finally lifted off from Tyrell's shoulders and they slumped gratefully. Chespin rolled to his Trainer and uncurled before flexing mightily over his victory. Viola returned Vivillon to her Pokéball and approached Tyrell with her referee by her side. She grinned at her victorious opponent, but her smile faltered when she saw the conflicted look on Tyrell's face.

"I thought you'd be happier?" she questioned.

"I am," Tyrell assured, "But I also don't feel like I deserved to win."

Damon and Savannah were approaching, and paused when they heard Tyrell admit this.

"What're you talking about, Ty?" Savannah asked.

"The only reason I won was because of Damon's strategy. This was more his victory than it was mine," Tyrell revealed.

"You called the attacks; not me. _You_ adapted when Viola adapted against the strategy; not me," Damon responded.

"You can't be so hard on yourself, Tyrell," Viola added, "Great Trainers only become great Trainers when they work together. You humbled yourself and asked for help. You're well on your way to becoming a great Trainer; you both are."

Tyrell stared at the Santalune City Gym Leader and nodded, taking her advice and compliment to heart. Viola then presented the Bug Badge for Tyrell and he took it without question.

"Good luck with your journeys," Viola told the trio, "I take it you'll be going to Lumiose City next?"

"That's right," Damon stated.

"You should visit my sister, Alexa. She's a journalist for the Lumiose Press. She'll definitely take an interest in you, Damon," Viola recommended.

"Heh… we'll see," Damon responded, not really wanting to wind up in some fluff piece.

The trio then departed from the Gym and immediately headed straight over to the Pokémon Center so Tyrell could restore Bunnelby and Chespin to full health. As they waited, they sat on the sofas in the main lobby.

"I can't believe you cracked the ceiling, Tyrell," Savannah commented.

"Good thing Gym Leaders have insurance on their Gyms," Damon responded.

"I… gotta make a call. Mind getting Chespin and Bunnelby for me when they're ready?" Tyrell asked.

"Of course," Damon stated while Savannah simply looked on questioningly.

Tyrell stood up and excused himself to the training battlefield adjacent to the Pokémon Center. He took out his Holo Caster and dialed a number. It rang for a couple of seconds before going silent.

"Tyrell," a deep, commanding voice stated, "This better be important, because I am _very _busy."

"It is, Dad," Tyrell responded, "I'm telling you that you were wrong about me. I _can _be a great Trainer. I am a great Trainer, so you can take all that doubt you have about me and shove it straight up your fucking ass."

With that, Tyrell hung up and collapsed onto a nearby bench. He started shaking as he imagined his father's reaction to what he had just told him. It took him nearly ten minutes to get over this anxiety and Damon and Savannah ventured outside with his Pokémon.

"How'd the phone call go?" Damon asked.

"Who'd you call?" Savannah asked.

"It went great, but it ain't all that important anymore," Tyrell responded.

He took his Pokémon and clipped them to his belt. He sighed in relief and looked up at the evening sky. The setting sun painted it a brilliant orange and pink color. Almost like sherbet.

"I'm gonna get a night sleep. Arceus knows I need it," Tyrell stated, "I'll probably leave for Lumiose City tomorrow."

"We'll probably do the same," Damon stated, "Good work winning your first Badge, Tyrell. Remember to keep coming up with strategies other than hitting with all your strength."

"Yeah, yeah. You remember that you're more than just some blind guy," Tyrell responded.

"Oh, don't you worry about that. I'll remind him," Savannah stated, pulling Tyrell into a tight hug.

"You should have Damon massage your back. It must hurt from all that heavy lifting," Tyrell teased and was promptly kneed in the groin and shoved to the dirt.

"Perv," Savannah spat with a glare.

She turned with a huff and marched off into the Pokémon Center. Damon remained beside Tyrell and shook his head.

"When will you learn not to provoke her?" he asked.

"When will she learn to take a joke?" Tyrell squeaked.

Damon offered a hand, using Tyrell's voice to locate him, and helped him to his feet. Tyrell brushed himself off and put a hand on Damon's shoulder.

"You're both lucky to have found each other," he stated, "I don't know another soul who'd put up with y'all's shit."

"Agreed," Damon responded, "Be sure to stay in touch, Ty."

"Of course," he replied.

With that, Damon returned to the Pokémon Center, and left Tyrell to his self. The latter figured he could watch the sunset with his Pokémon and sent all three out in order to do so.

Inside their room, Damon kicked off his shoes and heard the shower turn on. The bathroom door opened and a half-naked Savannah stood there with a hand on her hip.

"Wanna join me?" she asked.

"And suffer in the freezing cold while you take all the hot water? No thanks," Damon stated, "We've been dating long enough for me to know that showering together is never sexy."

"Your loss," Savannah responded, disappearing into the bathroom.

Damon rolled his eyes and sat on the edge of the bed. He listened to the shower run and the static-like noise relaxed him. All of his stress and anxiety was repressed for the moment, and he hoped it would not resurface for another long while. All he had was hope and prayer, and his friends and Pokémon. Hopefully they were all he needed.


	10. Stop to Smell the Flowers

Santalune City was now behind Damon and Savannah. The couple journeyed north toward Lumiose City and Parterre Way stretched before them as far as the eye could see. Parterre Way was one of those Routes that the Kalosian Tourism Department would feature heavily in their brochures. The famed path's perfectly designed and executed gardens are its highlight and a special point of pride. Savannah took great enjoyment in the sight of the various flower gardens, and even Damon found contentment with the wonderful scents.

"Kalos really is beautiful," Savannah commented.

"I'm sure it is," Damon responded and was promptly hit on the shoulder.

He smiled and squeezed Savannah's hand gently. A stomach grumbling sent both to a halt and shared laughter gave the couple some levity.

"We did skip breakfast," Damon pointed out.

"I'll whip up something for us really quick," Savannah offered.

"I'll feed the Pokémon," Damon responded.

Both began their respective tasks and Damon prepared bowls of Pokémon food for Froakie, Fletchling, and Fennekin. A gentle breeze blew through the flower fields and tickled the back of Damon's neck. With the food bowls filled, Damon released all three Pokémon from their Pokéballs. The tickling sensation continued along the back of his neck, so he absent-mindedly scratched at it. Another breeze blew through the area and the tickling sensation left Damon.

Savannah was busy making sandwiches for her and Damon. Her hair swayed a little bit with the breeze and she cut both pairs of sandwiches diagonally. She heard a peep in her ear and she looked around herself, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Something tickled behind her earlobe, so she rubbed her index finger against that spot, but collected something in the process. A tiny Pokémon clung to her finger and blinked up at her.

"Well, hello there," she greeted the tiny Pokémon, "What's your name?"

She took out her Pokédex and scanned the Pokémon still clinging to her finger.

"Flabébé, the Single Bloom Pokémon. It draws out and controls the hidden power of flowers. The flower Flabébé holds is most likely part of its body," her Pokédex stated.

"Wait, this says you hold a flower, but you don't have a flower," Savannah stated.

The Flabébé looked crestfallen at her mentioning this. Savannah frowned and looked over at Damon, who was listening to their Pokémon greedily consume lunch.

"Damon. I found a Pokémon!" she called out to him.

He perked up and hurried over to the sound of her voice, using his cane to guide his way. Savannah explained to him what had happened and Damon spent a moment thoughtfully considering her words.

"It seems that the wind had carried Flabébé away from her flower," he stated, "We need to find it. The species becomes weaker the longer they're away from it."

"Okay, but that's literally going to be finding a needle in a haystack," Savannah responded, "We're _surrounded _by flowers."

"Do you remember which way the wind was blowing?" Damon asked.

"No," Savannah answered flatly, "But we need to stop wasting time and find Flabébé's flower."

She held Flabébé gently in the palm of her hand and ran to the nearest flower field. Fennekin was close behind, yipping at Savannah's heels. Savannah presented Flabébé to the field of flowers.

"Is your flower here, Flabébé?" she asked.

Flabébé scoured as far as she could see and then shook her head. Savannah hurried off to the next flower field and repeated the process, but received the exact same result. Savannah refused to give up; however, and rushed to the third flower field. The crimson flowers swayed gently and Flabébé looked out at them. She smiled slightly, but weakly pointed at one of the red flowers being blown around by the wind.

"Sweet! Damon, I found Flabébé's flower!" Savannah called out.

She started into the flower field, but Fennekin yipped urgently, grabbing her Trainer's attention. Savannah looked down at the Fire-type, who was staring intently at the flowers. She followed Fennekin's gaze and spotted more Flabébé in the flowers. Savannah realized she could not risk traversing the flowers to retrieve Flabébé's flower without trampling over the others.

"Can you get to your flower?" she asked the Fairy-type lying in her palm.

Flabébé shook her head. She was too weak and the wind was too strong. A sudden gust shot the flower even further away and Savannah's shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Fennekin, go get the flower," she ordered the Fire-type.

Fennekin yipped and ran into the flower field. Her smaller stature allowed her to traverse the area without disturbing the other Flabébé. When the Fire-type reached Flabébé's flower; however, she realized the wind was keeping it out of her reach. Fennekin yipped angrily as she chased it around, but it was constantly out of her reach. The wind was almost taunting them.

"Fletchling, grab it!" Damon ordered.

Savannah turned and saw Damon approaching, having used the sound of her voice to locate her. Fletchling speedily flew through the wind and snagged the flower by its stem within his beak. He flew back to Damon, landing on his shoulder, and he took the flower gently between two of his fingers. He handed it over to Savannah, who gave it to Flabébé immediately. A pink and green aura surged over the Fairy-type's body as floral energy reinvigorated her. Flabébé squealed happily and floated in the air before Savannah. The wind conveniently died down the moment the side mission was completed.

"Thank Arceus you're all better, Flabébé," Savannah told her.

Fennekin rejoined them, yipping in agreement to her Trainer's statement. Savannah sighed in relief, but was then overwhelmed by the thought of what could have happened if she and Damon were not there. How often does this happen to Flabébé in general? A hand gripped her shoulder and Savannah looked back at Damon. Without words, he calmed the sense of dread that had briefly come over her consciousness.

Flabébé's squeals turned Savannah's attention back to her and she watched the Fairy-type fly around on her flower. Something came over Savannah and she plucked a Pokéball off her belt. Flabébé stopped and stared at Savannah inquisitively before nodding her consent. Savannah pressed the button and opened the Pokéball. Flabébé was absorbed into the device and it gently wriggled in Savannah's hand. The Pokéball went still and Savannah grinned to herself.

Damon recognized the sound of a Pokéball being used and smirked. His stomach's sudden rumbling ruined the mood; however, and Savannah gave him a dirty look.

"Well, in my defense. Lunch was interrupted," he stated.

"Yeah, yeah. Tiny, innocent Pokémon who almost _died_ be damned because Damon doesn't get his sandwich," Savannah responded.

"Wow…," Damon countered with disbelief.

"Okay fine… that was kind of mean. I'm sorry," Savannah apologized.

The two walked back to where they had their lunch set up, but Savannah paused when she saw a white-haired woman eating the sandwiches she had made for Damon and herself.

"Who the hell are you!?" Savannah shouted, alerting the woman to their presence.

The familiar foe smirked and swallowed her stolen meal.

"Your sandwiches were a bit dry, Red," she taunted.

Damon recognized her voice and the color drained from his face. The white-haired woman gazed at him and her smirk grew.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite blind buddy," she greeted him, "How's it been hanging?"

"Froakie, Bubble!" Damon snapped.

The Water-type launched forth a bubbly barrage at the white-haired woman, but a bolt of lightning blocked it before it got too near. Her monochrome Pikachu climbed up onto her shoulder and glared at the opposition.

"Rude much?" the white-haired woman asked.

"You're outnumbered this time, bitch!" Savannah shouted.

"I can count," the white-haired woman responded, "Sparx, use Flash!"

She closed her eyes as the Electric-type Pokémon on her shoulder emitted a blindingly bright light that left Savannah and all of the Pokémon disoriented. Damon was unaffected by the move and heard footsteps retreating. He ran after them. The footsteps stopped when the white-haired woman realized Damon was following her.

"Thunder Wave," she whispered to Sparx.

Damon still heard her and dove just in time to avoid being paralyzed. The white-haired woman stared at him for a moment before grinning.

"You're spunky," she told him.

"Who… the fuck… says spunky?" Damon asked as he picked himself up off the ground.

"Damon!? Where'd you go!?" Savannah's voice called out.

"Your girlfriend doesn't like me much," the white-haired woman stated.

"You attacked me and robbed us," Damon pointed out.

"I could have killed you and taken everything, so cut me some slack," she responded.

Damon gripped his cane until his knuckles turned white. The white-haired woman noticed this and then noticed Savannah and their Pokémon running up toward them.

"Are you going to risk your girl getting hurt just to get back at little old me?" she asked Damon.

Electricity cackled from Sparx's cheeks. Damon stepped forward and his hair stood up on end as static filled the air. He could not risk Savannah or their Pokémon getting hurt. The white-haired woman would not hold back, so them getting hurt was almost certain.

"Steal from us again and I will do everything in my power to make sure you never see the sun again," he threatened.

"It's a date, Damon," the white-haired woman responded, "Flash!"

Sparx released another bright light, blinding Savannah and the Pokémon again. Damon listened to the departing footsteps disappear and then he turned to where he had last heard Savannah and the Pokémon.

"Where'd she go? I'll punch her in the mouth so fucking hard, she'll be shitting teeth for _weeks_!" she snapped.

"She's gone," Damon stated, "We need to return the Pokémon to their Pokéballs and you need to calm down. Too many direct exposures to Flash can lead to permanent damage, and trust me when I tell you that you do _not _want that."

Savannah grumbled something under her breath and felt for Fennekin's Pokéball on her belt. She grabbed it and returned the Fire-type inside. Savannah's vision started returning to her, but things remained a bit fuzzy. She could see Damon's conflicted demeanor as he returned Froakie and Fletchling to their Pokéballs as well.

"Are you okay?" she asked him.

"Frustrated," he admitted, "I… I wanted to confront her. I wanted to tell her how much she messed me up in Santalune Forest and how she almost ruined my relationships with two awesome people, but…"

He trailed off, tears forming in his eyes, and he shook his head. Damon wiped the tears from his eyes and steadied himself with a deep breath. His shoulders fell in defeat.

"I guess I should just let it go," Damon muttered.

Savannah stepped forward and put a hand on his slumped shoulders. She kissed him quickly and pressed her forehead against his.

"You should. I'll be the grudge-holder in this relationship and the bitch better not dare cross us again. Redhead Rage is nothing to fuck with," Savannah stated.

"I think everyone who knows you would agree," Damon responded.

"Good. Now, let's return to our stuff and I'll make us a couple more sandwiches," Savannah said.

After eating their lunch, Damon and Savannah continued along the route in silence. Savannah took in the opportunity gazing at the beauty Parterre Way had to offer while Damon enjoyed the scents wafting off from the various flower fields.

"Hey you! Are either of you Pokémon Trainers!?" a Trainer on roller skates asked as she rolled up to cut Damon and Savannah off.

She had caramel-colored skin, dark brown hair, and hazel eyes. She wore a yellow tank top and tan slacks. Her yellow roller skates glided across the paved path of Parterre Way and her yellow helmet both protected her head from falls, but also shielded it from the overhead sun.

"I am," Damon responded, leaning onto his cane.

The roller skater noticed Damon's disability and grinned to herself.

"A blind Trainer? This is gonna be easy!" she exclaimed.

Savannah took offense to the roller skater's comment, but Damon gently swatted her shin with his cane.

"It's okay," he whispered as he stepped forward.

A dangerous grin came over his face and he removed a Pokéball from his belt.

"A one-on-one sound good?" he asked.

"Sounds perfect, my dude. I'm Ramona by the way," the roller skater responded.

"Damon. Damon Pierce and this is my awesome girlfriend, Savannah," Damon introduced.

"Kick her ass, babe," Savannah responded with venom as she glared at Ramona.

Ramona became unnerved and immediately regretted voicing her opinion on battling Damon. She swallowed a hard lump in her throat and nervously looked away from the burning glare.

"Let's go Corphish!" Ramona called out.

She chucked the Pokéball up into the air and it burst open to release her Pokémon. Damon aimed his Pokédex at the unknown Pokémon and scanned it.

"Corphish, the Ruffian Pokémon. No matter how dirty the water in the river, it will adapt and thrive. It has a strong will to survive," his Pokédex stated.

"Go Froakie!" Damon called out as he tossed the Pokéball up into the air.

He pocketed his Pokédex as the Pokéball burst open, releasing Froakie from inside. The Pokéball returned to Damon and he clipped it back onto his belt. He took a calming breath and smiled confidently.

"Use Pound!" he called out, taking the initiation.

Froakie leapt up into the air and his fist glowed brightly.

"Use Harden!" Ramona countered.

A gleam shined across Corphish's shell and he dug his legs into the earth. Froakie connected with Pound, but Corphish held on strong. Froakie winced in pain as a shock ran up his arm to his shoulder.

"Vice Grip!" Ramona called out.

Corphish reached out and clamped his pincers around Froakie's wrist. He repeatedly slammed the Bubble Frog into the dirt before tossing him aside. Froakie rolled to Damon's feet, but was quick to return to his own.

"You okay?" Damon asked.

Froakie croaked in response and smirked.

"Then use Bubble!" Damon ordered.

Froakie released the bubbly barrage at Corphish.

"Bubble Beam!" Ramona countered.

Corphish fired a tighter spread of bubbles from one of his pincers that pierced through Froakie's Bubble with ease and struck him in the chest. Froakie wavered slightly, but shook himself steady.

"Hmm… Corphish's defenses make it difficult to get up close and Bubble Beam is strong enough to nullify our ranged attack," Damon muttered under his breath.

"Use Bubble Beam again!" Ramona called out.

"Quick Attack!" Damon shouted.

Froakie dashed forward as a bubbly beam was fired at him from Corphish's pincer. Froakie easily maneuvered the bubbles and slammed his shoulder into Corphish, sending the Ruffian Pokémon sliding backwards.

"Is that the best you got?" Ramona asked, "Corphish, use Bubble Beam!"

Corphish fired off another Bubble Beam at Froakie, but it once again was dodged by Froakie's greater speed. The battle turned into a bit of a stalemate at this point as Corphish's defenses were not so easily cracked by Froakie's attack, and Froakie's speed allowing him to easily dodge all of Corphish's attacks. Someone had to take a risk and change the tide, but neither Damon nor Ramona dared to make the first move in fear of it ending badly for them.

Froakie was becoming impatient and dissatisfied with how the battle was going. He clenched his fists tightly and looked back at Damon to see if he had any ideas of how to win the battle.

"You trust me, right Froakie?" he asked.

Froakie responded with a quick confirmation and Damon smiled. He clenched his cane tightly.

"Then let's give it everything we've got!" he exclaimed, "Quick Attack! Get behind Corphish!"

Froakie smirked and dashed quickly toward his opponent. Corphish steeled himself in preparation of the oncoming attack, but was surprised when Froakie wound up behind him.

"Now use Bubble!" Damon shouted.

"Corphish, use Bubble Beam!" Ramona cried out.

Corphish tried turning around to respond to Froakie's attack, but the Bubble Frog was simply too fast, and sent the bubbly barrage into the Ruffian Pokémon's carapace. Corphish withstood the attack; however, and turned to face Froakie, but his fellow Water-type was already on him.

He had a ball of water forming in his hand and Froakie thrust it into Corphish's face. The pulsating explosion threw the Ruffian Pokémon into the air and he plowed through a nearby hedge, comically leaving behind a Corphish-shaped hole. Ramona ran over to check on her Pokémon's status and was immediately joined by Savannah. Both saw that Corphish had been knocked unconscious and could no longer continue battling.

Ramona sighed in defeat and returned her Pokémon to his Pokéball. She looked at Savannah with humility in her hazel eyes and the redhead looked her over with all-knowing satisfaction.

"You're one tough cookie, Damon," Ramona complimented as she handed over six hundred and forty Pokédollars.

"So are you, Ramona," he responded, taking the prize money, and handing it off to Savannah so she could count it.

With that, Ramona left the couple to bask in Damon's victory. It felt good to prove someone's assumption of him wrong. It felt good to show how strong he has become despite not being able to see. He fed Froakie an Oran Berry as the Bubble Frog Pokémon clung to his shoulder. Savannah was checking out Damon's Pokédex and its information gathered on Froakie.

"Huh, so that final attack was Water Pulse. It's a strong attack that can cause confusion on the opponents it hits," she revealed.

"Good work, Froakie. You learned Water Pulse," Damon congratulated.

Froakie croaked happily and resumed eating his Oran Berry. Savannah then looked at the picture provided in the Pokédex and noticed something odd when comparing it to Damon's Froakie.

"H-Hey… I think we should get Froakie checked out at a Pokémon Center. He looks pale compared to the picture of his kind in the Pokédex," she explained.


	11. One in a Million

Unfortunately for Damon's worries over whether or not Froakie was ill, they were unable to reach Lumiose City before nightfall. Savannah busied herself with pitching their tent and building the campfire while Damon paced back and forth, remembering Pokémon health class back at the academy.

"Paleness… paleness… what did paleness mean?" he asked himself.

"Babe, it could just be nothing," Savannah tried to reassure him.

"But it could be something," Damon argued, "To make it worse is that I can't see Froakie's condition for myself."

His shoulders slumped in defeat, but Froakie quickly hopped onto them in an attempt to reassure his Trainer. Froakie felt fine, but even he could see that he had a lighter complexion compared to the reference photo provided in his Trainer's Pokédex.

"Froakie's relatively healthy. He battled just fine," Savannah continued trying to be reassuring, "All we can do is wait until we reach Lumiose City tomorrow."

She approached Damon and Froakie hopped down off of his shoulders to allow Savannah to snake her arms around his head.

"Just breathe and be patient," she whispered before kissing him lightly on the lips.

Damon breathed in through his nose and Savannah pulled away to allow him to exhale. His troubles eased just a little bit, but the possibility of the worst case scenario remained to weigh heavily on his brain.

The next morning, Damon and Savannah resumed the trek toward Lumiose City. The looming skyline of the metropolis towered over them even from the considerable distance.

"Holy shit…," Savannah muttered under her breath.

"Is it that big?" Damon asked.

"Yeah… it's… _big_," Savannah responded.

As they reached the southern gate that separated the civilization of Lumiose City from the relative wilds of Parterre Way, Damon felt uneasy again over everything that could be wrong with Froakie.

Lumiose City was big. It was the most populated city in the entire world. For newcomers and tourists alike, Lumiose City presented an almost-overwhelming challenge to explore. Its massive buildings created a labyrinth of avenues and alleyways. Its focal point was Prism Tower, the tallest structure in the city, and whose lights illuminated the night sky beautifully.

Damon and Savannah were on Southern Boulevard, which encircled the lower half of the city before turning into Northern Boulevard. Savannah looked at a map that was gratefully provided near the southern gate. She discovered they were about a block away from the Pokémon Center and that it was across the street from Professor Sycamore's Lab. After locating the Pokémon Center, she returned to Damon, and grabbed his hand.

"I know which way to go," she told him, "Don't let go of my hand."

Damon nodded and he allowed Savannah to escort him down South Boulevard. The noises of taxi cabs and people around him were overwhelming. Damon felt his heartbeat intensify and he swallowed a nervous lump. His grip on Savannah's hand tightened; too tightly, and she winced, but said nothing. She sympathized with Damon's anxiety and hurried to get him into the Pokémon Center. Maybe a nurse telling him Froakie was okay would help, but what if Froakie wasn't okay? She shook her head; refusing to accept that possibility, and stopped to signal the crosswalk at Vernal Avenue. She could see the red-roofed Pokémon Center just across the street.

The crosswalk signaled for pedestrians to begin walking and the subtle dinging provided for the visually-impaired made Damon feel accommodated. He and Savannah crossed and entered the Pokémon Center. They approached the nurse immediately and Froakie hopped down from Damon's shoulder onto the counter.

"My girlfriend told me that my Froakie seems a bit pale," Damon explained, "Is there something wrong with him? Please tell me there's nothing wrong. _Please_."

"Sir, I'm gonna ask you to calm down just this one time or you can go to another Pokémon Center," the nurse responded in an irritated tone.

"Excuse me?" Savannah asked, not appreciating the woman's tone.

Damon grabbed her shoulders immediately and held her back while the nurse gave them a raised eyebrow. Froakie croaked up at her and she looked down at him. She tapped a finger against her chin and noted he did look paler than a normal Froakie.

"Hold still," she told the Water-type.

She took out a thermometer and checked his temperature. That checked out. She looked over his Frubble for any sign of sickness, but found none. The nurse then took out a large book and flipped through the pages to one with two pictures of Froakie. One was slightly paler than the other.

"There it is," she stated, "Your Froakie isn't sick. He's Shiny."

"Shiny?" Damon questioned.

"There're color morphs with Pokémon. Shiny is the most common," the nurse explained.

"So Froakie's fine?" Damon asked, grinning.

"Yes. Your Froakie is fine. Is there anything else I can help you with?" the nurse asked.

"Yes. We'd like to book a room for next couple of nights," Damon responded.

"Sorry, but we're all booked up," the nurse apologized.

"Crap… are there any hotels nearby?" Damon asked.

"Yes, but I must warn you. They are expensive," the nurse told them.

"We'll check it out. Thank you," Damon responded.

Froakie returned to his shoulder and he and Savannah left the Pokémon Center.

"That nurse was a bitch. You should've let me tell her off," Savannah said.

"But then we would've had to go to another Pokémon Center," Damon responded, "You must learn to pick your battles, my love."

"Bite me," Savannah countered.

"Tonight, I promise," Damon replied.

Savannah rolled her eyes and looked across the street. Remembering the map telling her where Professor Sycamore's Lab was, she tugged on Damon's sleeve to get his attention.

"Professor Sycamore's Lab is across the street. Wanna see if he's there?" she asked.

"Maybe we should go look for a place to stay tonight first," Damon suggested.

"Come _on_. Maybe he'll know a cheap place to stay in the city," Savannah insisted.

Damon thought about it for a moment before shrugging. Savannah grinned and dragged him off by his hand to the crosswalk. Once the signal allowed them to, they crossed Southern Boulevard to the side where Professor Sycamore's Lab stood. It was rather odd to see such a rustic building amidst the high-rises that made up Lumiose City, but the Lab stood there like a welcome member of the family.

Damon and Savannah walked up the step and the latter knocked on the door. It opened and Professor Sycamore looked out at the two Trainers before him.

"Bonjour! I'm glad to see you both made it to Lumiose City," he exclaimed with a grin.

Froakie croaked and gained the Pokémon Professor's attention. Professor Sycamore's grin widened when he saw the Bubble Frog and he gently pet him.

"You have become so strong, Froakie. I can see it with a single glance. You and Damon were a match made in heaven," he stated.

He then returned his attention to Damon and Savannah. Professor Sycamore stepped aside, giving them silent permission to enter his Lab. Savannah led the way of course and looked around the homely front section of the Lab that resembled a studio apartment.

"I have a pot of coffee on. Would either of you like a cup?" Professor Sycamore asked as he entered a small kitchen to grab his coffee mug.

"I'm good," Damon responded.

"Same," Savannah added.

"So what brings you here?" Professor Sycamore asked.

"I found out your Lab was across the street from the Pokémon Center and we figured we'd pop in and say hi," Savannah responded.

"We weren't interrupting anything, right? You're surely a busy man," Damon added.

"Nope. It's been a somewhat unremarkable morning," Professor Sycamore stated.

There was a knock on the door and it turned everyone inside toward it. Professor Sycamore hurried over to the door and opened it to reveal Tyrell James on his front porch.

"What's up, Professor Sycamore?" he greeted the older man, "Pretty convenient you're across the street from the Pokémon Center. I almost got hit by a Skiddo running over."

"There's a crosswalk, you dummy," Savannah pointed out, hands on her hips.

Tyrell looked past Professor Sycamore and saw the fiery redhead giving him an unimpressed look. He smirked and Professor Sycamore allowed him inside.

"Heh, guess great minds think alike," he commented, "You two wanted to visit the Professor as well."

"We actually wanted to ask the Professor something," Damon pointed out.

"Oh?" Professor Sycamore asked, "What would that be, Mr. Pierce?"

"It turns out the Pokémon Center has no…," Damon started explaining before being cut off by a ringing in the other room.

"Sorry for the interruption, but I should get it in case it's a business call," Professor Sycamore apologized, stepping out into the other room.

Damon turned to Tyrell and shook his head. The latter's poor cologne assaulted the former's senses.

"Why hasn't that brand been discontinued?" he asked, "It's awful."

"Maybe I bought the remaining supply just to irritate you," Tyrell suggested.

"No, because that's too smart of a plan for you," Savannah countered.

"I need someone who can pick on you two with me, because this double teaming is some Tauros shit," Tyrell responded.

Professor Sycamore returned to the front room with three Pokéballs in his possession. He seemed a little excited, but also a little unsure. Professor Sycamore then looked at the three Trainers before him and smiled to himself.

"I… that phone call was from a colleague in the Kanto Region. He sent me three Pokémon to help me with research into Mega Evolution," he explained.

"I've heard of that. It's supposed to be achieved by Pokémon whose bonds with their Trainers have reached maximum levels," Damon responded.

"Yes. Not every Pokémon can Mega Evolve, but I've received reports of these three all being able to do so," Professor Sycamore revealed.

"What Pokémon are they?" Savannah asked.

Professor Sycamore smirked and answered the question by releasing the three Pokémon from their Pokéballs. Damon immediately scanned them with his Pokédex.

"Bulbasaur, the Seed Pokémon. A strange seed was planted on its back at birth. The plant sprouts and grows with this Pokémon. Charmander, the Lizard Pokémon. The flame on its tail indicates Charmander's life force. If it is healthy, the flame burns brightly. Squirtle, the Tiny Turtle Pokémon. It shelters itself in its shell, then strikes back with spouts of water at every opportunity," Damon's Pokédex revealed.

Damon lowered his Pokédex and felt Froakie descend from his shoulder to investigate the new Pokémon before him. The Water-type approached Squirtle first, but that one immediately retracted into his shell, and caused Froakie to recoil. Bulbasaur stepped forward and extended a vine out to greet Froakie, who shook it. Charmander had already wandered off and Professor Sycamore went to retrieve him.

"I'm glad you three visited today. I have something to request of you," Professor Sycamore revealed, "I'm not the best to uncover Mega Evolution for these three since most of my days are spent in this Lab. You three; however, would be ideal to do so."

"You're giving us the Pokémon?" Damon asked.

"Yes. Each of you get to pick one," Professor Sycamore responded, "It would be best to pick one of a type you don't already have to achieve a balanced team."

"I pick Charmander then," Tyrell stated, "I already have a Grass and a Water-type, so this works out perfectly."

"You have a Water-type?" Damon asked.

"Ah yeah. I never introduced you," Tyrell responded, plucking a Pokéball off his belt, and lobbing it into the air, "Come on out, Marill."

Damon immediately scanned Tyrell's Pokémon with his Pokédex.

"Marill, the Aqua Mouse Pokémon. The fur on its body naturally repels water. It can stay dry, even when it plays in the water," his Pokédex stated.

"I caught her on Ouvert Way. She's pretty tough," Tyrell revealed, "Are you two okay with me picking Charmander?"

"Fine with me. I already have Fennekin," Savannah responded.

"I'm cool with it," Damon added, "And since I already have a Water-type, I'll pick Bulbasaur."

"Leaving me with this adorable little guy," Savannah chimed in.

Squirtle nervously poked his head out to look at Savannah. She smiled warmly down at him and seemed to ease him a bit. Bulbasaur trotted over to Damon and looked up at his Trainer. He gently extended a vine out to Damon, but since he could not see it, he did not shake it. This seemed to offend Bulbasaur, who immediately retracted it.

"Bulbasaur," Professor Sycamore said, "Damon cannot see, so he didn't know you were trying to greet him."

"Oh! Sorry Bulbasaur. I didn't mean to offend," Damon exclaimed.

Bulbasaur grunted, accepting this, and Professor Sycamore handed out Pokéballs to the three Trainers before him. All of the Pokémon were returned to their Pokéballs and Professor Sycamore spread his arms out wide.

"Magnifique!" he exclaimed, "I hope you three figure out Mega Evolution and report it back to me!"

"Are we getting paid for this?" Tyrell asked.

"Really?" Savannah asked him in disbelief.

"We were given Pokémon," Damon added in.

"Yeah, but it feels like we were just given a job," Tyrell pointed out, "I'm just looking out for number one. No disrespect, Professor."

Savannah face-palmed with one hand and punched Tyrell's arm with the other. Tyrell voiced his complaints over being hit while Damon simply shook his head.

"Oh! Before we forget, Professor. The Pokémon Center is all booked up, and we're tight on funds. Are there any cheap hotels or motels in the city?" Damon asked.

"Hmm… there is the motel by the airport, but it's in a rougher part of town," Professor Sycamore stated.

"We can handle it," Damon assured.

"We can?" Savannah asked.

"All three of us can," Tyrell chimed in, "I also need a place to stay."

Professor Sycamore then gave the trio directions to the motel near Lumiose International Airport and they left the Lab after some farewells. Outside, Tyrell hailed a taxi cab and Savannah helped Damon get inside.

"To the Flying High Motel," Tyrell stated as he was the last to enter the taxi's back seat.

Later that evening, Damon sat on a lawn chair in the fenced off pool area of the motel. The noise of the nearby airport ruined any chance of peace and to add insult to injury, Tyrell's awful cologne joined the noise.

"Thinking hard or hardly thinking?" he asked Damon.

"Just trying to relax a little bit," Damon responded, "We ran into that woman again. The one who robbed me in Santalune Forest."

"Oh shit… h-how'd that go?" Tyrell asked, sitting on a neighboring lawn chair.

"Her Pikachu used Flash since Savannah and I had her outnumbered. I was the only one unaffected by it, so I chased her. She got away again because she threatened to hurt Savannah," Damon explained.

"Sounds like a terrible person," Tyrell stated, "You okay?"

"I honestly don't know. I had her for a moment. I had a chance to tell her off for messing up my brain like she did, but…," Damon responded before trailing off.

"But?" Tyrell asked after the silence dragged on for too long.

"But I couldn't… I couldn't. Maybe I subconsciously didn't want to blame someone else for my problems. Maybe… I didn't see the point," Damon resumed.

"Maybe you need to relax more often and count the blessings you have. Gorgeous girlfriend, check. Adept at battling, check. Awesome best friend, double check," Tyrell suggested before prodding his own chest with his thumbs.

"Yeah… Froakie's pretty awesome," Damon responded.

"Wow…," Tyrell replied in disbelief.

Damon smirked and stood up. He tapped his cane against the ground and waved at Tyrell. Damon then departed the pool area for his room. He heard Savannah's voice from the other side of the door. She was angry and talking to someone.

"Seriously… why can't you just leave me be?" she asked, "I've been doing so well, but _of course _you had to ruin it. Damon and I are fine!"

Damon stood next to the door and continued eavesdropping. He was unsure whether he should enter the room or just stay where he was. He was sure Savannah was talking to her mother. Only that she-beast would anger her this much and question their relationship.

"Yeah… Mom… I know it's hard to date a guy who can't see, and yeah… I wish he could see. Things would be so much better if he could see," Savannah continued.

Damon felt a sudden pain in his chest and it became difficult to breathe. A dull ringing in his head deafened him to everything else Savannah had said. Damon always knew Savannah wished he could see. He never mentioned it; however, because it could not be helped. To hear her admit this to her mother off all people hurt Damon more than he could have guessed. The dull ringing in his head subsided as hurt came over.

"Look… I have to go. Quit calling me unless it's _actually _important," Savannah stated.

She went silent, so Damon decided to open the door. Savannah looked up at him in surprise and her mouth fell open. She wondered if he had overheard her conversation with her mother.

"I'm… gonna go for a walk," Damon stated, "Just letting you know."

"Okay… I'll go with you," Savannah responded, standing up.

"No," Damon said sharply, "I mean… I get it that I'm blind and things would be _so much _better if I could see, but… I'm good."

With that, Damon left the room, leaving Savannah with her suspicions confirmed. As he made the hasty retreat from the motel, tears filled Damon's unseeing eyes. He had to get away. Just for a moment, or for longer. He didn't know. He just wanted to get away.


	12. More Than A Thief

Tyrell was lying in bed scrolling through his phone. On the nightstand beside him sat a bottle of lotion. A devious smile stretched across his face and he reached over for the lotion. Before any sin could be committed; however, a knock sent him shamefully scurrying to the floor.

"Wh-Who is it!?" he shouted as he turned as red as a Tamato Berry.

"Ty, open up!" Savannah's hurried voice responded.

She sounded worried, so Tyrell collected himself, and approached the door. As soon as he opened it, Savannah burst in, and nearly knocked Tyrell off his feet.

"I messed up. I messed up so _fucking _much, Ty," she told him as she paced about in his motel room.

"What happened? Where's Damon?" Tyrell asked.

"I… I…," Savannah stammered before throwing her hands up in frustration, "Fuck!"

"Sweet baby Mew, Red! Take a breath and tell me what the fuck is going on!?" Tyrell shouted at her.

Savannah flinched at his shouting and Tyrell regretted raising his voice immediately. He took a calming breath and carefully approached her.

"What happened?" he asked in a calmer voice.

"I was talking to my Mom and I… I admitted to wishing that Damon could see and how difficult it makes our relationship and he _heard_ me," Savannah revealed.

Tyrell did not know how to react. He didn't want to judge Savannah completely, because she was still his friend, but what she admitted to was breaking an unwritten rule they had both silently agreed to.

"Where is Damon?" he asked.

"I don't know. He ran off, and… and… I don't know where he went, but…," Savannah struggled to respond.

She wanted to cry, but she also did not want to breakdown in front of Tyrell. He had the emotional range of a tree stump after all.

"We'll find him. Did he take his Pokémon or his Holo Caster with him?" Tyrell asked, remaining the calm one.

"No," Savannah revealed, "All he has with him is his cane."

Damon walked in a straight line until he was forced to turn. Using his cane to guide him, he managed to avoid straying into the heavy nighttime traffic of the unknown city. Unfortunately, the further Damon journeyed, the seedier his surroundings became. He was oblivious to the predatory glances he was receiving from several thugs loitering along the sidewalks he traversed. Damon was seen as easy prey, but even the petty criminals around him hesitated to rob a blind man. Damon's luck ran out and he found himself at a dead-end. He felt the edges of the three buildings around him and sighed in defeat.

"Damn it…," he muttered, turning around.

"Hey friend," a leather-clad guy with a green spiky Mohawk greeted him.

He was flanked by a heavyset man with a shaved head whose chubby cheeks would blind him if he smiled too much and a punkish woman with pink hair and tons of piercings.

"You lost?" the man with the Mohawk asked.

"Nope," Damon responded, feeling uneasy.

He had zero clue how many were around him or what their intentions were, so he assumed the worst. Damon planted his cane down against the asphalt and swallowed a nervous lump in his throat.

"Have a nice night," he told them as he tried walking past.

The man with the Mohawk placed a hand on his shoulder and stopped Damon.

"Sorry, friend, but you wandered onto our turf and there's a toll for trespassers," he told him.

"Give us all your shit or you get a beat down," the woman stated.

"Y-You'd rob a blind man?" Damon asked.

"We'd rob our own grandmothers," the heavyset man responded.

Damon steadied his breathing and listened to three distinct breathing patterns. There were only three of them and their intentions were to rob him or beat him up and then rob him. He was outnumbered and it was then that he realized he left his Pokéball belt and Holo Caster in the room. He was alone. No one was coming to rescue him.

"Give us your shit!" the man with the Mohawk shouted.

Damon twisted away from his grip and thrust his cane toward the sound of his voice. He struck the man in the gut, but he was immediately lifted off the ground in a hug by the heavyset man. Damon kicked with all his might, but he was thrown to the ground hard. The woman immediately kicked him in the back of his head and Damon's world went fuzzy. He did his best to shield himself, but the thugs continued kicking him all over.

"Yo, assholes!" a familiar voice called out.

The kicking stopped and Damon felt static in the air. The guy with the Mohawk shouted out in pain and the sound of his body hitting the ground beside Damon reverberated throughout the latter's body. He continued laying there in the fetal position.

"You bitch!" the female thug screamed.

She ran forward and Damon heard her grunt in pain as something repeatedly struck her. Another body hit the floor.

"Wh-Who the hell are you?" the heavyset thug questioned nervously as he found his backup taken out of the occasion.

Damon remained in the fetal position and heard someone calmly step past him.

"You can call me… Spectra," the familiar voice responded.

Static returned to the air and a large thud resulted. Damon continued lying where he was and the footsteps neared his position.

"P-Please… leave," he whimpered as tears filled his eyes.

"Damn dude…," the familiar voice responded, "I almost feel bad for you right now."

Damon finally recognized the voice as the one the white-haired woman possessed. He tensed up, but immediately winced in pain.

"I don't have anything!" he shouted, "Just leave me alone!"

"Calm down," the woman responded, "I'm not here to rob you. Unless you're concussed, you should realize I just saved your ass."

Damon blinked and sat up. His whole body hurt and he was still woozy from being kicked in the head.

"I'm offering a hand to help you to your feet," the white-haired woman revealed.

Damon hesitated, but eventually reached out. The white-haired woman grabbed his hand and hoisted him to his feet. Damon stumbled, but she caught him. The woman righted him again and kept her hands on his shoulders in case he fell.

"Y-Your name is Spectra?" he asked.

"That's what I'm called," she responded, "Why're you out in the worst part of Lumiose City with no Pokémon or your girlfriend?"

"Long story," Damon replied, "Why'd you help me?"

"I'm the only one allowed to rob your blind ass," Spectra countered teasingly.

"Th-Thank you," Damon muttered under his breath.

He felt woozy again and his legs turned to jelly. Damon fell once more and passed out in Spectra's arms. She stood there, struggling to support him, and looked around at the three unconscious thugs in the dead-end before turning her gaze to her monochrome Pikachu at her feet.

"Well, shit… what do I do now?" she asked the Electric-type Pokémon.

Savannah and Tyrell journeyed in the assumed direction Damon would have gone. Froakie, Fletchling, Bulbasaur, Fennekin, Flabébé, Squirtle, Chespin, Bunnelby, Marill, and Charmander joined the two Trainers in the search. They were nearing the seedier part of the city and Savannah received several catcalls from the thugs loitering about. She ignored them to the best of her ability.

"We need to hurry," Savannah stated.

Damon regained consciousness on a mattress. It was cold and drafty. He groaned as a wave of pain came over his skull and he gripped either side of his head in an attempt to soothe it.

"Wh-Where am I?" he asked, his voice echoing.

"An abandoned apartment building scheduled to be torn down in a week," Spectra responded, her voice also echoing, "

"Why am I here?" Damon asked.

"You passed out and I figured it'd be counterproductive to leave your unconscious butt alongside the a-holes I knocked out," Spectra answered.

She squatted beside Damon and held a can of soup in her hands.

"You hungry?" she asked as she stuffed a spoonful into her mouth.

"Starving," Damon muttered.

"Too bad. This is my last can," Spectra responded.

"I… I don't understand you," Damon stated, "You robbed me, attacked me, but now you saved me?"

"What can I say; I'm more than just some petty thief," Spectra replied, standing erect.

She tossed the empty can across the room they resided in and listened to it echo throughout the abandoned space.

"We gotta find your little girlfriend," she stated, "She's probably looking for you right now."

"Or she's taking advantage of me leaving by hooking up with someone who can actually see," Damon grumbled.

"Damn, dude… that's fucked up. Did you breakup or something?" Spectra asked.

"I'm not talking to you about my relationship," Damon huffed.

"Whatever, dude, but it's obvious that you two are on the rocks," Spectra responded, "Is she into chicks, because I'd love me some of that fire."

Damon gave her an annoyed look and Spectra rolled her eyes.

"I'm just teasing," she told him, "Where were you two staying?"

"The motel by the airport," Damon responded.

"Okay… that's not too far away. We'll head over as soon as you can walk on your own two feet. Maybe we'll run into my new girlfriend along the way," Spectra stated.

"Savannah wants to punch you in the mouth until you shit out your teeth," Damon responded.

"Damn… kinky," Spectra countered.

Savannah and Tyrell came across the dead-end with the three thugs regaining consciousness.

"Where'd that bitch go?" the man with the Mohawk asked, "And the blind guy?"

"Blind guy?" Savannah questioned, "What blind guy?"

She advanced with Tyrell and the Pokémon close behind. The three thugs looked up at her as she glared down at them with her hands on her hips.

Savannah stormed into her motel room after discovering what had happened from the three thugs. Tyrell followed close behind and watched as Savannah angrily punched the wall.

"Damon was attacked, and then that bitch took him to Arceus knows where!" she shouted.

"It sounds like that woman helped Damon," Tyrell responded.

"You haven't seen her, Ty. She attacked us twice before. She doesn't help anyone but herself," Savannah growled.

Tyrell heard footsteps approaching and turned to close the door for some privacy. He caught a glimpse of outside the motel room and saw Damon and Spectra approaching.

"Damon!" he exclaimed to let Savannah know he was arriving.

They both ran out, but Savannah stopped when she saw Spectra. The white-haired woman stopped as well and looked Savannah up and down with a lecherous look on her face.

"What the hell did you do to Damon?" Savannah snarled.

"Saved his ass and escorted him back to you," Spectra responded.

"I don't believe you," Savannah declared.

"It's true," Damon muttered under his breath.

He told Savannah and Tyrell how he was attacked by the three thugs and how Spectra had saved him. He continued on with the story by telling them he had passed out from being kicked in the head and Spectra took him to safety.

"Can we talk?" Savannah asked Damon.

He nodded and left Spectra's side. They disappeared into the room and left Tyrell outside with Spectra. He nervously glanced over at her and found his attention immediately glued to her chest.

"Eyes up," Spectra taunted.

Inside the room, Damon sat down on the bed, and rubbed the back of his head. Savannah stood before him, holding onto her elbow unsurely.

"I… I'm so sorry, Damon," she apologized, "I said something unforgivable and I know there's little I can do to make up for it."

"Was it true?" Damon asked, "Do you wish I could see, or were you just telling that to your mother, because it's what _she _thinks? Please… don't lie."

"I…," Savannah started, but found herself unable to continue.

He did tell her not to lie. Damon nodded, accepting her silence as the answer. He sighed heavily and shook his head.

"I'm sorry if I scared you tonight," he told her, "Could you hand me my things?"

"Damon…," Savannah whispered, tears forming in her eyes.

"Please?" he asked sharply, "I think it would be better for us both if I slept in another room tonight."

Savannah stood there, tears falling from her green eyes now, but she gathered Damon's belongings and followed him out of the room. She saw Tyrell and Spectra still outside. Tyrell looked between them.

"What's happening?" he asked.

"I'm… gonna book a different room for tonight. I'm sorry for worrying you, Tyrell. I'm tired now, so I'm gonna go to bed," Damon responded.

"That's probably not a good idea," Spectra commented, "You might be concussed. Someone should stay with you tonight and make sure you're okay, or you should go to the hospital."

Damon sighed in defeat. Of course she was right.

"You can stay in my room. I'll stay up and make sure you're okay," Tyrell offered.

Damon nodded, relenting to his friend's plan. Tyrell then led Damon away, leaving Savannah alone with Spectra. The two women shared skeptical looks with one another. Savannah then sighed in defeat.

"Thanks… for looking out for him," she told Spectra.

"You still wanna make me shit out my teeth?" Spectra asked, hands on her hips.

"Little bit," Savannah responded.

Spectra smirked and shrugged nonchalantly. She then turned her back to Savannah and sauntered away. Savannah's resolve finally dissipated and she broke down into a fit of tears.

In Tyrell's motel room, Damon sat on the edge of the bed, and squeezed his eyes shut as a wave of pain came over him. Tyrell closed the door and kicked his shoes off while giving Damon concerned looks.

"Y'know Savannah is real sorry for what she said," Tyrell commented.

"I'm in no mood to talk about this right now, Ty," Damon responded.

"Nah dude, I know what she said was messed up, but…," Tyrell continued.

"Please!" Damon cut him off with a desperate yelp.

Tyrell was silenced and sighed in defeat. He dragged a chair over to the bed and sat down on it. He propped his feet up on the mattress beside where Damon sat and stared at him for an uncomfortably long time.

"So the white-haired chick is hot as hell," Tyrell commented.

"Cool?" Damon responded.

"Seriously dude. Her tits are nearly as big as Savannah's," Tyrell continued.

"You're going to end up with a concussion as well if you say one more word," Damon threatened.

"Word, bitch," Tyrell called out Damon's bluff.

Damon was too tired to keep his word, and simply lay down across the bed. Tyrell removed his feet from the mattress and leaned forward in his seat.

"I think you and Savannah are gonna be just fine. Who cares if you can't see, you get me?" he stated.

"A lot of people don't to be honest," Damon responded, "But they take advantage of me, because I can't see."

The next morning, Damon was feeling a lot better, so he and Tyrell left the motel room to check on Savannah. Damon knocked on the door and Savannah opened it, staring at them with reddened eyes.

"Holy hell you look awful," Tyrell commented.

Damon sighed and slammed the end of his cane down onto Tyrell's foot, sending him cussing up a storm while hopping around on his one uninjured foot.

"I spent most of last night thinking about… everything," Damon stated.

"I did, too," Savannah responded.

"I'll… give you two some privacy," Tyrell groaned in pain as he hopped away.

Damon sighed and rubbed his thumb against the side of his index finger in an attempt to curb his anxiety. He steadied himself and stood firmly before Savannah.

"If you wish I can see… then we shouldn't continue dating," Damon stated, "There is nothing I can do about my disability, so it wouldn't be fair for either of us to continue dating if that is how you feel."

Savannah nodded, agreeing with Damon that it would not be fair for either of them to continue dating while she wished for Damon to change something he cannot change. She took a breath to steady herself.

"It's been difficult," she admitted, "I… I've tried so damn hard to get past your blindness. I never thought it'd be so hard, but I can't show you anything; we can't appreciate how something looks together. Do you know how many times I've wanted to doll myself up for our anniversaries, but didn't because I knew you couldn't fully appreciate it no matter how hard you tried to do so?

Damon hung his head in shame, but Savannah put a hand on his shoulder to bring his attention back to her.

"It doesn't matter," she told him, "Nothing matters except the fact that you make me happy and I make you happy. I… I still make you happy, right?"

Savannah waited for his answer as Damon was rendered silent by her sudden one-eighty. Twelve hours ago, Savannah was wishing for his sight to return. He wished for his sight to return so many times throughout his life that he wondered if he could blame her for wishing for the same. So much had occurred in the meanwhile that he was unsure how to react properly, so he just stood there in silence.

"Damon?" Savannah questioned this silence, "Are you going to answer me?"

Silence.


	13. The Arrival of a New Rival

Damon had grown tired of Lumiose City through the two days he had spent within the towering metropolis. It was too loud, too big, too dangerous… too much for him to tolerate any further. It will forever be a stain on his Pokémon journey; full of bad memories and unhappy thoughts. He was glad to be leaving Lumiose City.

Holding his cane under his right arm, Damon adjusted the straps of his pack. Footsteps approached him and Pecha Berry shampoo filled his senses. Damon forced a smile to Savannah as she stood beside him.

"Ready?" he asked her.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she muttered under her breath.

Awful-smelling cologne then overpowered the Pecha Berry shampoo as Tyrell appeared between them. He squirmed his way and draped arms over both their shoulders.

"The golden trio rides again!" he exclaimed, "Glad you two let me tag along to Cyllage City."

"Don't make us regret it," Savannah responded, slinking out from under his arm.

Damon used his cane to remove Tyrell's arm from around his shoulder and then started off toward the gate leading out to Versant Road. Savannah and Tyrell lagged behind; occasionally looking ahead to make sure Damon was heading off in the right direction.

"So you two good?" Tyrell whispered in hopes that Damon could not overhear.

"As good as we could be," Savannah responded just as quietly, "We agreed to stay in a relationship, so that's something, but…"

She paused and shrugged while looking a bit disappointed in the current situation. Unbeknownst to Savannah and Tyrell, Damon could still hear their conversation despite their attempts to avoid this. He said nothing and continued on toward the gate. Once through, Savannah and Tyrell caught up with Damon since he stopped to wait for them. He took a breath to calm himself and forced another smile.

"I'm glad to have Lumiose City behind us," he stated.

"Y'know we have to go back, like, three more times," Tyrell pointed out.

Savannah sighed and slapped the back of Tyrell's hand with an open hand. He stumbled forward from the blow, but kept his feet beneath him. He turned back with narrowed eyes and shook his fist at Savannah.

"Why'd you hit me!?" he cried out.

"You're making me regret agreeing to let you tag along," Savannah answered.

As they argued, Damon started off ahead. He used his cane to navigate his way and avoid anything that could trip him up. There was a skate park to his right and he listened to various skaters ride across the concrete and metal parts of it.

"Watch out!" someone suddenly cried out.

Damon froze and was promptly struck on the top of his head by something hard. The blow knocked him off his feet and he hit the dirt hard. Savannah and Tyrell's argument was interrupted by the outburst and they both saw Damon being struck by a runaway roller skate.

"Damon!" Savannah cried out, running to where he fell.

"What hit me?" he asked.

"A roller skate," Tyrell revealed, picking the object off the ground.

A blonde woman suddenly vaulted over the fence separating the skate park from the route and rolled over on a single roller skate. She had a worried expression on her face.

"I'm so sorry, dude!" she exclaimed, "I thought I had my skate tied tighter than it was. Please don't sue me."

"It was an accident," Damon responded as he was helped to his feet by Savannah.

"You okay?" the blonde woman asked.

"I'm good," Damon answered, rubbing his head.

It was here that the woman realized that Damon was blind and her gray-blue eyes widened.

"Oh my Arceus… I hit a blind guy!" she exclaimed, "That's like… six years bad luck."

"What?" Damon questioned.

The woman pulled out her wallet and took out money, extending it to Damon.

"Please take my money so we could be even," she pleaded.

"Look!" Damon snapped, becoming angry, "I'm nothing special! Who cares if I'm blind? It doesn't make me some bad luck trinket for hitting me!"

Savannah and Tyrell looked at him with concern for his outburst. Damon sighed in defeat and his shoulders slumped. The blonde woman nervously returned her money to her wallet and put the object back into the pocket of her cycling shorts.

"I'm sorry," Damon apologized, "I've spent too much of my life being treated differently because of my disability, and I've just come to the decision to not allow it any further from _anyone_."

Savannah looked away from Damon after he said this. The blonde woman nodded, accepting Damon's apology, and then saw the Pokéballs clipped to his belt.

"Oh, so you're all Trainers," she pointed out, hoping to change the subject.

"Yeah…," Damon responded, feeling awkward over the sudden change of subject, "What about you?"

"I'm… kind of a Trainer myself," the woman answered, grinning slyly, "My name's Korrina and I am the Gym Leader of Shalour City."

Silence fell over the group for a moment while Tyrell looked between Damon and Savannah.

"Dun, dun, dun," he whispered under his breath.

Savannah promptly slapped him upside the head again.

"Quit doing that!" Tyrell shouted.

"I'm Damon Pierce. This is my girlfriend, Savannah Hawthorne, and some stray loser we found in the gutter of Lumiose City. I think his name is… Tyrone… Tiberius? I never really cared," Damon responded.

"I'm gonna draw a dick on your face and pay Savannah off with chocolate so she says nothing," Tyrell threatened, "I'm Tyrell James, _the _Tyrell James."

"Never heard of you," Korrina responded before proceeding to ignore him completely, "Wanna battle, Damon? I mean… I still feel I can't leave just like this after pelting you with my roller skate."

"Sure. This'll just be a practice battle, right? I mean… since you're a Gym Leader and stuff," Damon asked.

"Yep. We'd need a referee for this to be an official Gym battle," Korrina revealed.

Damon nodded and took a couple steps back. He grabbed a Pokéball off his belt and expanded it within his hand. Korrina did the same and Savannah and Tyrell hurried off to the side to be out of the way.

"It'll be a one-on-one, so give me your best, Damon!" Korrina exclaimed.

"I always give my best," Damon responded, "Go Froakie!"

He tossed his Pokéball up in the air and it burst open to reveal the Water-type Pokémon. Korrina smirked and tossed her Pokéball up into the air.

"Go Lucario!" she exclaimed as it burst open as well.

Damon scanned the new Pokémon with his Pokédex.

"Lucario, the Aura Pokémon. By catching the aura emanating from others, it can read their thoughts and movements," the device stated.

Damon pocketed his Pokédex and tapped his cane against the ground. He suddenly felt at ease. Nothing else was in his mind except for the battle and his opponent before him.

"Froakie, start things off with Pound!" he called out.

"Block it with Detect!" Korrina countered.

Froakie leapt in the air with a glowing fist as a red aura shot across Lucario's body. The Fighting-and-Steel-type quickly blocked the attack with ease and shoved Froakie back. The Bubble Frog was shocked that his attack did nothing to Lucario and the Aura Pokémon smirked.

"Use Metal Claw!" Korrina called out.

Steel-silver claws covered Lucario's paws and he rushed forward.

"Dodge it, Froakie!" Damon ordered.

Froakie leapt off to the side of a downward swipe from Lucario, but was unable to dodge the sweeping slash of the Pokémon's other paw. Froakie flew back, wincing in pain, and slid across the dirt. Damon gritted his teeth. Lucario was fast and resilient. Victory was going to be tough, but this was expected from a Gym Leader.

"Froakie, use Water Pulse!" he called out.

Froakie shot to his feet and formed a pulsating ball of water between his hands. He chucked it at Lucario with all of his might.

"Aura Sphere!" Korrina countered.

Lucario formed a swirling ball of aura between his paws and launched it directly at the oncoming Water Pulse. It broke through the pulsating ball of water, causing a shockwave to burst out in all directions. This hit Froakie first and pushed him back a bit. He looked forward just in time to see the still-intact Aura Sphere connect with his midsection. The air was knocked out of his lungs and he fell on his face. Froakie was determined to be unable to continue battling and this information was relayed to Damon from Tyrell.

"Woo! Good work, Lucario!" Korrina exclaimed, running forward to spin her Pokémon around in a tight embrace.

She returned Lucario to his Pokéball and then approached Damon. She had some medicine on hand that Damon used to revive Froakie. The Water-type looked around, wondering what exactly had happened before realizing he had lost the battle. He gained a sour disposition and climbed onto his Trainer's shoulder.

"We did our best, Froakie," Damon assured, "We just need to get stronger."

"That's the spirit, Damon," Korrina told him, "I can't wait for our rematch."

Lucario nodded in agreement and added a bit of a huff. Korrina then put her discarded roller skate back on her feet. She returned Lucario to his Pokéball and shook hands with Damon, Savannah, and even Tyrell.

"See you three around!" Korrina bid her farewells before skating off.

"Damn… she's hot," Tyrell mentioned after a lengthy silence, "She could pelt me in the head with her roller skates any day of the week."

"You're terrible," Savannah responded.

"You're just jealous that I can ogle at hotties since you're in a committed relationship," Tyrell countered.

"Oh yeah… totally jealous," Savannah commented sarcastically.

She crossed her arms in front of her chest and rolled her eyes. Damon heard footsteps and tensed up as someone approached. Savannah yelped and wheeled around as someone patted her on her rear end. Since Damon was beside Tyrell and in front of her, there was no way it could have been him. A familiar predatory smirk greeted Savannah as the redhead's surprise turned into a furious, red-faced glare.

"She can ogle me all she likes," Spectra stated seductively, "I don't think Damon would mind."

She winked and backed away immediately as Savannah's hands balled up into tight fists.

"What do you want?" she growled.

"I saw Damon's battle and figured I'd… saunter over to check on my favorite people," Spectra revealed as she moved throughout the trio, swaying her hips side-to-side as she went.

"Why'd you touch my ass then?" Savannah questioned.

"An ass that fine deserves to be grabbed," Spectra answered, "Sorry I couldn't help myself."

She winked again and then turned her attention to Damon, who remained strangely silent. Spectra tilted her head at him and then smiled.

"Where're you fine lot headed off to?" she asked.

"Cyllage City," Tyrell revealed, "It's the next Gym for Damon and I to challenge."

"Hmm… there's a Gym in Lumiose City, but you didn't stay there long. Why?" Spectra asked.

"Have you been following us?" Savannah asked.

"Obviously," Damon stated, "She's been following us since we left the motel this morning."

Savannah and Tyrell gaped at him in shock before turning to Spectra to confirm his statement. She shrugged nonchalantly, but remained secretly impressed that Damon was able to detect her.

"Guilty as charged," Spectra said, "So back to my previous question."

"The Lumiose Gym requires Trainers to possess at least four badges before being able to challenge the Leader. Tyrell and I only have one Badge each, so we need to obtain more. Cyllage City was the closest Gym," Damon explained.

"Heh, I'll tag along with y'all then," Spectra stated.

"Oh hell no," Savannah immediately rejected the idea.

"Why can't I come along?" Spectra asked as she pouted.

"I don't trust you. I don't like you. I don't want you anywhere near any of us," Savannah responded, hands on her hips.

"Sheesh…," Spectra responded, shaking her head, "No wonder your relationship is on the rocks."

Savannah scoffed and her hands dropped from her hips. Damon moved to step between the two women, but Tyrell grabbed him by his shoulders.

"Dude… this is about to be a catfight. Do you _really _want to get in the middle of it?" he whispered.

"Take. That. Back," Savannah demanded, taking an aggressive step forward.

"Make me," Spectra challenged.

Damon was desperate to deescalate the confrontation, so he slammed his cane down onto Tyrell's foot and ran between Savannah and Spectra. The cane fell from his grasp as he thrust both hands out to either side of him.

"Enough!" he roared, "No more fighting! No more arguing! I'm sick of it!"

"Dude…," Tyrell stated as if he were amazed.

Damon then felt something firm, but malleable in either hand. He gave the objects a gentle squeeze before realizing what he was groping. He retracted both hands immediately and turned red.

"Sorry, sorry," he apologized to both women whose breasts he had just groped.

"Whose is better?" Spectra asked, grinning like a madwoman.

"Mine are. Obviously," Savannah answered, "Right Damon?"

"I can be an unbiased test subject!" Tyrell exclaimed, running forward with his eyes gleaming.

Savannah and Spectra turned on him. Both had their hands on their respective hips. They looked at each other and nodded in unison.

"Pervert!" they both exclaimed, kicking Tyrell between his legs.

He fell to his knees, quivering in pain, and Damon just stood there in disbelief at how the situation turned out. Savannah and Spectra then looked at each other with narrowed eyes.

"Why do you even want to tag along?" Savannah asked.

"Why not?" Spectra responded, shrugging.

"That's not an answer," Savannah growled in annoyance.

"It really isn't, and I'd like to know the _real _reason why," Damon spoke up.

Spectra looked at him and shifted her lips side-to-side as she thought her answer over. Tyrell had gone silent now as he lay on the ground in the fetal position.

"I get… lonely is all, and you're… tolerable, so… why not, y'know," she grumbled under her breath.

"What a load of shit," Savannah responded, "Who the hell would buy this act?"

"You can come with us," Damon suddenly declared.

"What?" Savannah asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, what?" Spectra added in with similar disbelief.

"The more the merrier," Damon responded, shrugging slightly.

"Can I talk to you?" Savannah asked, dragging Damon away.

She released him and flicked his forehead, making him recoil in shock.

"What the hell?" he questioned.

"I should be asking you the same thing. Why're you letting her join us?" Savannah replied.

"I… have my reasons," Damon responded, looking away.

"Then tell me your reasons," Savannah demanded.

A moment of silence between them passed as Damon seemed to fight off the urge to remain silent. He finally threw his head back in frustration and then returned his attention to Savannah.

"She saved my life," Damon relented, "I have no idea what would've happened to me that night if she hadn't intervened, and that scares me. I… I feel obligated to be friendly toward her because of it."

With that, Damon turned his back away from Savannah, and returned to where Spectra and Tyrell stood. The former held Damon's cane in her hand and she spun it around like a baton. She then brandished it like a sword and tapped Damon's shoulder with it, stopping him from advancing any further.

"I knight thee, Ser Damon the Unseeing," she proclaimed.

"Funny," he responded, taking his cane from her grasp, "We talked it over and you can tag along with us for the time being. Don't make us regret it."

"No promises," Spectra replied jokingly.

Savannah rejoined the group and looked Spectra over unsurely.

"Do you still have the portable shower that you stole from us?" she asked.

"Maybe," Spectra responded, avoiding the redhead's gaze.

"It's a simple yes or no question," Savannah growled.

"But my answer is neither yes nor no," Spectra argued.

Tyrell limped over to Damon's side as the two young women continued arguing back and forth. Savannah was becoming more and more frustrated while Spectra was becoming more and more intentionally annoying.

"Dude… this is going to be something," Tyrell muttered, "Why is it that two women fighting is so damn hot?"

"Because our perverted minds think they'll wind up kissing," Damon answered, "Do you still have our portable shower or not?"

Spectra turned toward him and grinned.

"Of course. I wasn't gonna give that baby up so easily," she responded.

"Why can't you just answer me when I asked?" Savannah asked.

"Because you're fun to rile up, Little Red," Spectra answered, turning back to her, "You're so wound up. Answer me this… is a thong your underwear of choice?"

"I'm not going to answer that!" Savannah exclaimed, turning red as her hair.

"Well… it'd make sense. A constant wedgie would explain why you're so uptight," Spectra stated simply.

Damon sighed in frustration and then swatted both women's kneecaps with his cane to gain their attentions.

"We're burning daylight and I would appreciate being able to get to Camphrier Town before nighttime," he stated, "So let's get moving."

He marched on ahead with a huff and was followed by Tyrell. Savannah and Spectra shot each other dirty looks before marching off after the two male members of the traveling party.


	14. Guilty Until Proven Innocent

Unfortunately despite Damon's best efforts to reach Camphrier Town before nightfall, the group fell short of this goal and were forced to set up camp near the western edge of Versant Road. Trees towered around them as Damon began preparing food for all of their Pokémon. Spectra plopped down on the ground beside where he sat.

"Does, um… Sparx want any, or do you feed her something in particular?" Damon asked.

"She loves ketchup," Spectra responded.

Damon stammered some incomprehensible words as he tried coming up with a response to Spectra's strange revelation. She then started to laugh and Damon realized she was messing with him.

"How crazy would that be? A Pikachu who eats ketchup," she asked, "Sounds like a bad cartoon."

Damon chuckled in response and resumed preparing bowls for the Pokémon. He never did get a response to his question; however, so he waited for Spectra to speak again. He did not have to wait long.

"How'd you know it was me?" Spectra asked.

"Smell. Savannah uses Pecha Berry shampoo and Tyrell has the world's worst cologne ever made," he explained.

"That's pretty cool. What do I smell like?" Spectra asked.

Damon hesitated, unsure if she was jokingly asking the question or if she was serious. Spectra laughed a little bit and shoved his shoulder.

"Don't make it weird, loser," she told him, "What do I smell like?"

Damon took in a quick sniff and mulled it over as he separated the smell of the Pokémon food in his hand and the nature around them from Spectra's scent.

"Razz Berry gum," Damon answered.

Spectra smirked and blew a bubble right in Damon's face before loudly popping it. He recoiled at the sudden noise, but quickly collected himself.

"I snagged a pack back in Lumiose City," she stated, "Want one?"

"When you say 'snagged', do you mean stole?" Damon asked.

"You gonna judge me?" Spectra asked in response.

"We're going to be traveling together, so you stealing and therefore breaking the law could negatively affect the rest of us," Damon answered.

"Only if I get caught," Spectra countered, "You seem to forget that I'm a bit of a ghost. I come and go as I please and there ain't shit anybody can do to stop me."

Damon sighed heavily and decided against arguing with Spectra any further. She tapped his shoulder and gained his attention once more.

"Sparx would enjoy some Pokémon food," Spectra told him.

Damon nodded and poured some in a bowl for the monochrome Pikachu. Savannah and Tyrell pitched their respective tents and Fennekin helped with the campfire. Everything seemed to be set until basic math unveiled a new problem for the group to face.

"Spectra… do you have a tent?" Damon asked after Savannah brought the issue to his attention.

"Nope," she said simply as she poked at the fire with a stick.

"Well… we only have two tents. Tyrell has his and Savannah and I share one," Damon responded.

"And this is my problem how?" Spectra asked.

"Where do you plan on sleeping tonight?" Savannah asked.

Spectra stood up from her log before the fire and looked around. She pointed at a nearby tree that wielded a branch sturdy enough to hold her for the night. Savannah followed her finger and turned back to Spectra with her jaw dropped.

"You're planning on sleeping in a tree?" she asked.

"It's how I usually sleep at night," Spectra responded, "Unless I'm in a city. Then I find some nook in an abandoned building somewhere."

"You're homeless," Damon stated.

"Nah. Kalos is my home," Spectra responded.

"Do you have parents?" Tyrell asked, "I mean… you're around our age, and…"

"Hey, I ain't digging into your lives, so don't dig into mine," Spectra cut him off with deadly seriousness.

Silence fell over the group as Savannah and Tyrell shared concerned looks. Spectra avoided their gaze, but Damon stepped forward, clearing his throat. She looked at him.

"We'll get you a tent in Camphrier Town," he said, "I mean… sleeping outdoors is fine until it rains and there's no use you getting sick when you can avoid it."

"I don't need you looking out for me," Spectra responded, crossing her arms over her chest.

"He's just being nice," Savannah pointed out, glaring at her.

"Let's all just take a breath before…," Damon tried intervening.

"I'm going to bed. I'll be up in my tree," Spectra cut him off.

She stormed over to the tree and climbed up it with ease. She sprawled out across the sturdy branch and was soon joined by Sparx.

"We were about to cook dinner!" Damon called out.

"I took a sandwich from your pack!" Spectra called out in response, brandishing it in her hand.

"That bitch…," Savannah muttered under her breath.

"It's okay," Damon told her, trying to keep the peace.

"Hey… more food for the rest of us," Tyrell responded.

After dinner, because food in the Pokémon world still eludes this fan fiction author, the group began to settle. Hey! The fourth wall breaks are back! Savannah stood up from her seated position beside Damon and brushed herself off.

"I'm going to go take a shower," she stated before heading off to where the portable shower had been set up.

Tyrell watched her leave and stood up as quietly as he could. Damon cleared his throat and raised an eyebrow, so Tyrell sat down with a sheepish look on his face.

"You're pushing it," Damon warned.

"So're you," Tyrell responded, "You're picking sides too often in Savannah and Spectra's squabbles."

"I'm not picking sides," Damon countered.

"Not intentionally," Tyrell corrected himself, "You're playing a dangerous game though, bro."

"I'm trying to keep the peace," Damon assured.

"Who do you think would win in a fight? I mean… you've fought Spectra before and she whooped your ass, but Savannah is a fireball," Tyrell asked.

"Who kicked you in the balls harder?" Damon questioned.

"Hard to tell," Tyrell responded.

Damon smirked and closed his eyes. He felt the warmth of the campfire on his face and relished in a moment of peace.

"Maybe we could fill a pool up with pudding and have them wrestle each other in bikinis," Tyrell suggested, ruining Damon's peace.

"One more word and I'll have to buy myself a new cane," Damon threatened.

"Why's that?" Tyrell asked.

"Because this one will be shoved so far up your ass that you can lick the handle," Damon answered.

The water turned off at the portable shower and Savannah stepped out with a towel around her body and another towel containing her hair. A sharp whistle turned her attention to Spectra, who was leaning against a tree trunk adjacent to the portable shower.

"What do you want?" Savannah asked, eyes narrowing.

"I wanted to take a shower and I got tired of overhearing the boys' conversation," Spectra answered.

"What were they talking about?" Savannah asked, tilting her head.

"Which one of us would win in a fight," Spectra answered, "Tyrell suggested that we wrestle in a pool full of pudding while wearing bikinis which… isn't a bad idea honestly."

She winked, but Savannah visibly shuttered at the idea.

"Remind me to punch him later," she grumbled.

Spectra shrugged and stood there beside the portable shower in silence. Savannah watched her, studying her demeanor carefully. The silence between them became a bit awkward, so Savannah cleared her throat and adjusted her towel.

"So… who did the boys think would win?" she asked.

"They couldn't decide," Spectra revealed.

Her eyes gleamed under the moonlight as she sauntered over to Savannah. The redhead became nervous under Spectra's gaze and the white-haired beauty trailed fingers across her freckled shoulders.

"Maybe we should… find out who'd win," she suggested in a seductive whisper, "Think about it, Red. You and me… rolling around… our breasts… pushed up against each other. It'd be… hot."

"Yeah… no thanks," Savannah responded quickly before turning tail and hurrying away from the scandalous look of Spectra.

"Hard to tell if she's wet from the shower or from me," she commented to herself as she watched Savannah leave.

Spectra then relaxed visibly and looked around to make sure she was alone. She stepped into the portable shower and lifted her shirt up over her head, revealing a black bra and a toned stomach covered in scars.

Back at camp, Savannah scrambled into the tent she would share with Damon. She did not want to admit it, but Spectra's idea of them having a catfight turned her on. Savannah shook her head and poked it out of the tent.

"Damon! Tent! Now!" she demanded.

A moment later, he arrived and Savannah pulled him inside with a ravenous hunger. Damon was shocked as he was thrown to the floor of the tent.

"What the…?" he questioned before Savannah climbed on top of him and removed her towel.

She said nothing as she bent forward and cut Damon off by firmly placing her breasts on either side of his head simply to tell him what her intentions were at that very moment. When presented with a naked Savannah Hawthorne straddling your lap, no rationally-thinking man could find themselves to question it.

Outside the tent, Tyrell heard the couple's lovemaking and shook himself to rid the image from his mind.

"No, no, no. No imagining Damon's dick. Imagine Savannah's tits. Her big, _perfect _tits," he mumbled to himself.

Tyrell groaned in frustration and then hurried off into his own tent. He hated being single.

The next morning, Savannah awoke in Damon's arms and smiled to herself. She snuggled next to him a bit and sighed contently. It was their first time having sex since their fight and it was definitely one of the best times. It was at this moment that Savannah felt at ease with their relationship status.

"What the hell!?" Tyrell's voice pierced the peacefulness.

Damon's eyes snapped open and Savannah looked around in confusion.

"What happened!?" Savannah called out.

"All of my shit is gone!" Tyrell exclaimed.

Damon felt around the tent for his clothes and dressed himself. He ventured out while Savannah continued looking for her clothes. Tyrell was rifling through his own tent, but finding nothing but his Pokéballs. All of his food and supplies were gone.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" he snapped angrily, tossing his hands up in the air.

"Calm down, calm down. Where was the last place you put your stuff?" Damon asked, trying to think rationally.

"In my pack, but it's empty now," Tyrell revealed.

"Damon!" Savannah cried out from inside the tent.

He returned to her side and looked questioningly at her.

"I can't find any of my clothes," she revealed.

"What the hell happened last night?" Damon asked, "Tyrell's supplies are missing. Your clothes are missing."

"Where's Spectra?" Savannah asked in a dangerously low voice.

"Wait, wait… before we go off making accusations…," Damon started.

"Spectra!" Savannah roared.

Footsteps approached the tent and Spectra's head popped in. Savannah yelped and scurried into a sleeping bag to conceal her nudity from the lecherous woman.

"Whoa… now please tell me you called me down here for what I think you called me down here for," Spectra pleaded.

"No you thieving bitch! Someone robbed us in the night! I should've known better than to agree to let you stay with us!" Savannah snapped from inside her sleeping bag.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the dick. What happened, Damon?" Spectra asked, turning to him.

"Tyrell's supplies are missing and Savannah's clothes are missing," he pointed out, "Did you see anything last night?"

"Yeah, like my clothes when you were stealing them?" Savannah asked angrily.

"Why would I steal _your_ clothes?" Spectra asked, arms crossed over her chest.

"To find a sense of style!" Savannah responded.

"Psh, like you have style," Spectra countered.

"If I wasn't naked right now, I'd beat your ass!" Savannah snapped.

"I'll take my clothes off then! Even playing ground, hoe!" Spectra responded.

"Enough!" Damon snapped before the two attractive women could fight each other naked.

Silence followed for a second.

"Dude you're ruining something awesome!" Tyrell, whose priorities are always in order, called out from outside the tent.

"It's obvious that Spectra wasn't the thief," Damon stated, "If she was, she wouldn't be here right now."

"Boom!" Spectra exclaimed, "Suck it you redheaded tramp!"

"Bitch," Savannah retorted.

"Slut," Spectra countered.

"Stop it!" Damon snapped, "Our things are missing. That's bad. I need your help to find whoever was responsible. Maybe they left footprints or something."

"Well, I can't investigate with my tits hanging out," Savannah pointed out.

"Why not? No one would mind the sight," Spectra responded with a grin.

"Ugh… you're basically Tyrell with tits," Savannah groaned.

"How _dare_ you," Spectra responded in disgust, "I'm a classy pervert thank you very much."

"Spectra," Damon spoke to bring her attention back to him, "Can Savannah borrow some clothes? We need every working set of eyes we can get."

"Fine, but her fat butt better not stretch any of them out," Spectra responded, retreating from the tent.

"I hate her," Savannah growled, "Arceus, I hate her."

Damon reached over and draped an arm around her shoulders. He soothed her with forehead kisses and head petting. Savannah did not mind the affection and it did put her troubles at ease. They were going to find the thief and bring them to justice. Spectra returned and tossed in an outfit. Savannah picked it up and looked it over bitterly.

"Really? You don't have anything less revealing?" Savannah asked.

"Nope," Spectra lied.

"How bad is it?" Damon asked.

"Like I should be working on a corner," Savannah responded as she dressed herself.

She thought to herself that it was probably the outfit Spectra wore when she herself worked on the corner. Stupid slut. Why did she have to be so hot? Savannah shook her head at that thought and finished dressing herself. She wore a sleeveless crop top that her bust threatened to show off some serious under-boob in and a leather miniskirt that was way too short. Savannah kept pulling at the hem of the skirt and adjusting the top as she climbed out of the tent with Damon close behind.

"Damn… looking good, Red," Spectra commented.

"I agree," Tyrell added in.

"Shut up! Both of you!" Savannah snapped.

"Spread out. Find any sign of someone else behind here. Use your Pokémon for help," Damon instructed, sending his Pokémon out to help as well.

He stood by the tent and listened to everyone search the site for any evidence of the thief, or thieves. Damon knew they had to be skilled. This was not their first theft. They managed to get into their camp and steal a lot of stuff without alerting any of them.

"I found something!" Savannah called out.

Damon and the others all rushed over to where she was. There were some footprints leading in and out of their camp from the forest. They were not human, so the Pokémon tested the prints on their own feet to make sure they didn't leave them. It matched none of the Pokémon in the party.

"Well… we found the trail," Tyrell stated.

"Good. Let's follow it to the bastards so I can dress in something more… modest," Savannah responded.

"I think you look hot, Red," Spectra commented, smacking Savannah's rear with a grin.

"Could you stop that!?" Savannah snapped.

"Smack her ass back," Tyrell suggested.

"I'm going to fucking lose it at this rate," Damon muttered under his breath, "Froakie, lead me in the direction the footprints go."

The Bubble Frog climbed onto his shoulder and led him in the direction the footprints went off in away from camp. Savannah gave Spectra a catty look that the latter responded to by sticking her tongue out at her. Savannah then hurried off after Damon.

"Her ass does look fine in that skirt," Spectra said.

"Was that really your least revealing outfit?" Tyrell asked, watching the same view as the white-haired woman beside him.

"Hell no," Spectra revealed with a devious grin.

She then sauntered off after Damon and Savannah, leaving Tyrell shaking his head and chuckling to himself.

"I'm living both a dream and a nightmare," he told himself, "Two hot women with their claws at each other's throats and neither of them want to be with me."

He sighed and then dragged his feet after Damon, Savannah, and Spectra.


	15. Compromise

As the group continued along the trail of the suspected thief, Savannah nudged Damon's elbow to gain his attention.

"I still think it was Spectra," she muttered under her breath.

"Why're you so hell-bent to find her guilty?" Damon asked.

"Why're _you _so hell-bent to defend her?" Savannah questioned.

"The footprints didn't match her Pokémon," Damon responded.

"She could have other Pokémon. She could be robbing us blind of everything before disappearing," Savannah suggested.

"I… I don't think she'd rob us," Damon muttered.

Froakie croaked and the group stopped. The trees in the forest were now towering shoots of bamboo that seemed to go on for miles. Froakie knocked on one of the bamboo towers and an echoing, hollow sound responded. There was some chattering nearby, so the group snuck over to the edge of a clearing and peered in from behind the bamboo shoots.

Pokémon in the dozens were ransacking through Tyrell's supplies and Savannah's clothes. There were other stolen goods in the mix and a whole ton of Berries. Damon quietly pulled his Pokédex out and scanned the Pokémon.

"Pancham, the Playful Pokémon. It does its best to be taken seriously by its enemies, but its glare is not sufficiently intimidating. Chewing on a leaf is its trademark," his Pokédex stated.

"They're the thieves," Savannah revealed.

"They're using your bras as Berry holders," Spectra pointed out.

"Ah man… those stains are going to take forever to get out," Savannah complained.

"Let's kick some ass," Tyrell commanded, "Chespin, use Rollout!"

Chespin curled into a tight ball and rolled onto the scene, alerting the numerous Pokémon to the group's location. The Pokémon released a battle cry. The closest one to Chespin leapt in front of the rolling Grass-type. That Pancham then began thrusting his arms forward in a rapid motion and beat Chespin out of his Rollout. Another then jumped in, delivering a Karate Chop to the top of the Spiny Nut Pokémon's head.

Fortunately for Chespin, his shell was tough enough that the Pancham hurt himself more than he hurt Chespin. The Grass-type's fortune didn't last long as half a dozen more Pancham piled on top of him.

"Get off him! Bunnelby, use Mud Slap! Marill, use Water Gun! Charmander, use Ember!" Tyrell ordered.

All of his Pokémon fought the Pancham pile off of Chespin and helped the Grass-type to his feet. The Pancham then ganged up on Tyrell's Pokémon. One of them dove in with a Karate Chop, but was met midair by Fletchling using Peck. Tyrell looked over his shoulder in shock as Damon joined his side.

"Froakie, use Water Pulse! Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip!" he shouted.

Froakie added in by chucking a pulsating ball of water that engulfed a couple Pancham within before battering them with pulses and Bulbasaur lashed at them with Vine Whip.

"Sparx, use Thunder Shock!" Spectra called out.

The monochrome Pikachu then leapt into the fray and unleashed a bolt of lightning that shocked several Pancham into submission. The tide of the battle was turning toward their favor and one of the Pancham realized this, so he started leaving with one of Savannah's bras in hand and a pair of her sunglasses crudely hanging off his head.

"Where do you think you're going?" Savannah asked, cutting the Fighting-type off.

Pancham looked around for a way out, but was quickly surrounded by Fennekin, Flabébé, and Squirtle. Savannah knelt down and extended a hand out demandingly. Pancham shook his head, refusing to give in to her demands.

"Give me my fucking bra!" Savannah snapped, eyes practically catching fire.

Pancham squealed in fear and tossed the redhead's bra to her. Savannah neatly folded the garment and then looked at the sunglasses Pancham was still shakily holding to his body. She sighed and smiled affectionately.

"You can keep those," she told him.

Pancham looked at her teary-eyed and squealed happily before running off into the bamboo to safety. Savannah then looked at the others and saw that they had successfully battled off the Pancham horde. One of the Playful Pokémon remained standing; however, and cried out. Its cries echoed across the bamboo and a loud roar echoed back from deeper in the forest. The ground rumbled beneath everyone's feet and they turned toward something large approaching them. The Pancham regained their senses and rushed to the massive Pokémon now appearing in the clearing.

Damon aimed his Pokédex at the new Pokémon and scanned it.

"Pangoro, the Daunting Pokémon. Although it possesses a violent temperament, it won't put up with bullying. It uses the leaf in its mouth to sense the movements of its enemies," his Pokédex revealed.

All of the Pancham cheered and made faces at the group from the safe region behind Pangoro. The Fighting-and-Dark-type roared mightily and lifted her arms.

"I think Pangoro is the mother and all of the Pancham are her children," Damon stated nervously.

"Damn girl… keep it in your pants," Spectra commented.

"Are you really slut-shaming a wild Pokémon?" Savannah asked.

Pangoro roared again and fired a pulsating beam of darkness from her mouth.

"Scatter!" Tyrell shouted, grabbing Damon's arm, and pulling him to safety.

The Dark Pulse exploded, sending everyone flying in all directions. Damon had the wind knocked out of his lungs and rolled onto his side. He felt the ground vibrate beneath his feet as Pangoro neared him. She lifted her arm and prepared to deliver a Hammer Arm directly onto the back of Damon's head, but a sudden Water Pulse hit her in the face. Pangoro turned her attention to Froakie. She charged him, but was then pecked repeatedly all over her head by Fletchling. Her claws glowed white and she swiped them through the air at the Normal-and-Flying-type Pokémon. Fletchling did his best to dodge the Slash onslaught, but was batted down hard by Pangoro. She then prepared another Dark Pulse to finish Fletchling off, but he was pulled to safety by Bulbasaur.

"Sparx, use Thunder Wave!" Spectra called out as she ran to Damon's side.

Sparx fired a ring of electricity that left Pangoro paralyzed. Spectra helped Damon to his feet and supported him over to where Tyrell was.

"W-Where's Savannah?" Damon asked.

Spectra and Tyrell looked out and saw Savannah lying dangerously close to the rampaging Pangoro.

"Oh crap," Tyrell muttered, "Bunnelby, use Dig, and distract Pangoro away from her!"

Bunnelby dove straight down under the earth and popped up by Pangoro. He launched a Mud-Slap that only served to piss Pangoro off even more. Bunnelby and Pangoro then proceeded to play a little game of Whack-a-Bunnelby as the Normal-type drew Pangoro away from where Savannah lay. Spectra then ran forward and helped her to her feet.

"Laying down on the job, sweetie?" she asked her jokingly.

"Ugh… my head," Savannah complained.

"Did Damon fuck you silly last night?" Spectra asked.

"Do you ever… shut up?" Savannah asked groggily as Spectra supported her to safety.

"You should see me in bed. I'm a screamer. Maybe I'll give you the chance if we make it out of this mess alive," Spectra continued.

"What do we do, Damon? That Pangoro is too strong and we still have to get our stuff back," Tyrell asked.

"Why're you asking me?" Damon asked.

"Because you're the smart one who knows what to do, like, all the time, bro!" Tyrell exclaimed.

Pangoro suddenly caught Bunnelby by the ears and lifted him out of his hole.

"Hey!" Tyrell shouted, running forward, "Leave him alone!"

Chespin came in with Rollout and Marill and Charmander added in with Water Gun and Ember respectively. This only pissed off Pangoro even more. She saw these humans invading her home and attacking her children, so they deserved no mercy in her mind. She kicked the oncoming Chespin like a soccer ball and sent him flying through several bamboo shoots.

Damon then collected himself and advanced toward Pangoro. He was tired of the people and Pokémon he cared about getting hurt. Pangoro turned toward him and snarled. She readied a Dark Pulse at Damon.

"Dude… what're you doing?" Tyrell asked nervously.

"You're going to get yourself killed, dumbass!" Spectra called out.

"D-Damon…," Savannah muttered under her breath as she tried to focus.

Pangoro was forming the Dark Pulse, but Damon held his arms out wide invitingly. His Pokémon cried out and rushed to his side, but Damon held up a hand to them.

"No!" he barked, "We can't keep fighting! We're just making things worse!"

Pangoro was confused and her Dark Pulse dissipated. She glared at Damon as he continued toward her.

"We're sorry, Pangoro. We didn't mean your children any harm. They stole our belongings," Damon tried reasoning with the Pokémon.

Pangoro looked back at the Pancham, who all looked away sheepishly. She rolled her eyes and seemed to calm down. Damon took a breath and lowered his arms.

"Can we get our stuff?" he asked Pangoro.

The Fighting-and-Dark-type nodded, huffing in frustration as she turned on her misbehaving children. Savannah, Tyrell, Spectra, and the Pokémon all joined Damon's side.

"Get your things," he told Savannah and Tyrell.

They set off to retrieve their stolen belongings, leaving a suddenly exhausted Damon alone with Spectra. She patted him on the back and whistled, impressed.

"You approached a rampaging wild Pokémon and talked it down," she commented.

"Anything to stop those I care about from getting hurt," he muttered.

"Aw, am I included?" Spectra asked.

"Sometimes," Damon responded.

Savannah and Tyrell then returned with their belongings in tow. They all nervously looked back at Pangoro as she reprimanded her children for stealing their belongings. The Pancham who still possessed Savannah's sunglasses looked over at the group and then hurried over with an Oran Berry in hand. He offered it up to Savannah, who nervously looked up at Pangoro. The larger Pokémon nodded at the Trainer and Savannah took the Berry with a smile.

"Thank you, Pancham," she told the Fighting-type.

Pancham then looked back at his mother and squealed, surprising Pangoro. Pangoro looked between her child and Savannah and tilted her head.

"What do you think they're saying?" Tyrell asked Damon.

Pangoro approached her child and nuzzled him affectionately before pointing at one of the Pokéball on Savannah's belt.

"Wait… you wanna come with me, Pancham?" Savannah asked.

The Playful Pokémon nodded and Savannah looked up at Pangoro for a confirmation to this. She nodded her consent, so Savannah took an empty Pokéball off her belt and caught Pancham within.

After returning to camp, Savannah hastily dressed back into her clothes, and returned the revealing attire Spectra had given her. Savannah was still feeling woozy from the battle with Pangoro.

"You okay, Red?" Spectra asked.

"Yeah… I'm just a bit tired from… all that," Savannah responded, waving her hand in the direction the bamboo forest was at, "I'm sorry by the way. I shouldn't have accused you of being the thief."

"Eh, I'm not entirely innocent," Spectra revealed.

"W-What do you mean?" Savannah asked.

"I've stolen you away from Damon," Spectra stated, drawing close to Savannah.

She laughed nervously and cleared her throat as she stepped away.

"Funny. We're going to head out soon, so uh… be ready," Savannah said, hurrying off away from Spectra.

The white-haired woman turned to keep her gaze on Savannah's departing form only to come face-to-face with Damon.

"How much did you hear?" she asked.

"All of it," Damon revealed.

"You know I'm joking? Mostly?" Spectra asked.

"Yep," Damon responded.

"Does it turn you on that I flirt with Savannah?" Spectra asked.

"I really don't care," Damon revealed, "I have faith that Savannah won't fall for your game, so it's harmless."

"What about you?" Spectra asked, sauntering over to Damon.

She draped an arm over his shoulder and pressed her chest up against his. She held her lips mere centimeters from his ear all while watching for a reaction.

"Will you fall for my "game"?" she breathed into his ear seductively.

Damon smirked and used his cane to remove Spectra's arm from around his shoulder. He then used it to gently move her back away from him before lowering it back down to the ground.

"You flirt with people as a defense mechanism," he claimed, "You either do it to make them uncomfortable, which makes you comfortable, or to find out what kind of person they really are."

Spectra crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes.

"I hate your whole 'seeing people for who they really are despite not being able to see' shtick," she grumbled.

"You're just mad you got played in _my _game," Damon responded, "Now… let's get going. I'd love to get to Camphrier Town before it gets too late."

He turned his back to Spectra and returned to camp, leaving her to make faces at the back of his head, and follow Damon all while flipping him off the entire time.

The group reached Camphrier Town by mid-afternoon that day. Camphrier Town was one of the first settlements created in the Kalos Region's earliest days. Its main feature was a once-impressive manor that has recently been suffering from neglect. Cobblestone pathways snaked throughout the small town and large stone walls enclosed it from its borders.

After resting their Pokémon at the town's Pokémon Center, Damon and Savannah returned to where Spectra and Tyrell were waiting.

"So… we have a problem," Damon stated.

"Spectra is not allowed her own room since she does not possess a Trainer Card," Savannah revealed.

"She can bunk with me," Tyrell offered.

"No," Spectra responded as fast as she could.

She looked at Damon and Savannah and grinned mischievously. Savannah deduced what she was thinking and narrowed her eyes.

"No," Savannah told her.

"But think of the _fun _the three of us can have," Spectra responded.

"He's mine," Savannah growled.

"Selfish," Spectra grumbled.

"Ladies… ladies…," Damon muttered with a half-annoyed, half-amused tone, "Spectra can stay in our room so long as she promises not to do anything… annoying."

"Yeah, I'd rather sleep in the gutter," Spectra responded, crossing her arms.

Two hikers suddenly came into the Pokémon Center with annoyed expressions on their faces.

"I can't believe that little brat won't help us out," one of them said.

"How else are we supposed to clear the bridge without a PokéFlute?" the other one asked.

Damon overheard their conversation until they wandered out of earshot and then he brought himself back to the situation at hand.

"Damon and I could bunk together and Savannah and Spectra could together," Tyrell suggested.

"No," Savannah responded.

"I can sleep out on the gutter," Spectra offered.

"No," Damon rejected, "We will find some kind of compromise."

Tyrell was shoved out onto the deck of his room at the Camphrier Town Pokémon Center by Spectra. She slid the glass door closed and locked it behind her.

"Oh come on!" Tyrell complained, holding a pillow and a sleeping bag under his arms, "This is some Tauros shit!"

"You agreed to the compromise, so no bitching," Spectra responded.

"Can I at least have bathroom privileges?" Tyrell asked.

"There's a flower pot in the corner," Spectra pointed out.

"It's cold," Tyrell argued.

"You have a Charmander," Spectra countered.

She then closed the blinds, preventing Tyrell from peeking inside the room at her. He grumbled under his breath as he looked around the small deck.

"You could at least say good night," he pointed out.

"I could," Spectra responded, "But I won't."

Spectra sat on the end of the bed and sighed contently to herself. It had been a while since she had slept in a bed this comfortable. Discarded mattresses, park benches, and the occasional tree branch were her usual bed of choice, so this was a welcome change.

Sparx climbed up onto the bed next to her and curled into a ball. Spectra ran a hand across her Pokémon's white fur and smiled.

"Good night, Sparx," she whispered.

The Mouse Pokémon yawned and closed her eyes. Spectra stood up and stripped down to her underwear. She looked down at the scars trailing across her stomach and frowned at the sight. Spectra then pulled out an oversized t-shirt from her pack and slid it on over her body. It fell down to her knee and she hugged herself before carefully sitting back down on the end of the bed.

"No one will hurt me again," she told herself, "No one will hurt me again. Never again."

Tyrell heard Spectra talking to herself and narrowed his eyes in confusion.


	16. The Butt of the Joke

The next morning, Damon and Savannah met Spectra out in the Pokémon Center's lobby. She had a cup of coffee in her hand and a smile on her eyes. Her blue-green eyes darted up to the couple approaching her.

"You two look… rested," she commented.

"So do you," Savannah countered.

Spectra narrowed her eyes at the insinuation the redheaded woman was throwing at her, but she refused to dignify it with anymore of a response. She turned her attention to Damon and sipped her coffee.

"What're you thinking about?" she asked.

"Oh! Um… I overheard some guys yesterday talking about something blocking the road out of town. I wonder if the problem's been handled," Damon revealed.

"I hope so," Savannah responded.

"Where's Tyrell?" Damon asked.

"Oh shit!" Spectra exclaimed, shooting to her feet, and running off toward the room.

Tyrell stood out on the slender deck doing a little dance as he tried to repress something building up inside of him, threatening to release. He knocked repeatedly on the sliding glass door.

"Hello? Spectra! Let me in! This flower pot is not going to be enough to handle what I need to do!" he exclaimed.

The shades opened and Spectra stood there, staring at a suddenly-relieved Tyrell before unlocking the door, and opening it for him. He burst into the room past her and rushed into the restroom, leaving Spectra alone to question what he needed.

They both returned to Damon and Savannah after Tyrell finished his business. Tyrell was a bit upset that Spectra had forgotten about him outside on the deck.

"That "compromise" was some Tauros shit," he complained.

"What happened?" Savannah asked.

"This one made me sleep out on the deck last night and then _forgot _about me!" Tyrell exclaimed.

Several other people in the Pokémon Center gave the group strange looks. Damon cleared his throat and tapped his cane against Tyrell's leg to get his attention.

"Let's use our indoor voices," he suggested.

"I almost _shit _myself," Tyrell responded.

"But you didn't," Spectra pointed out.

Tyrell looked at her in disbelief. She seriously did not feel bad for the uncomfortable position she had put him in. He glared at Damon and Savannah and then stormed out of the Pokémon Center afterwards.

"Meh, he'll get over it," Spectra commented, "Maybe I'll wear a low-cut top to make him happy."

"I can't believe you locked him outside," Savannah stated, "I mean… not blaming you, because it _is _Tyrell after all, but still…"

After breakfast, the group departed from Camphrier Town, heading west along Rivière Walk. Rivière Walk was the longest road in all of the Kalos Region. It ran alongside one of its largest rivers as well. By the time the sun reached its peak in the sky, the members of the group who could see spotted a crowd of people gathered before a bridge.

"What's happening?" Damon asked.

"There's a whole crap-ton of people in our way," Spectra commented.

Savannah walked up to a woman who was standing close to them and tapped her shoulder. Hazel eyes turned back to Savannah and a smile formed on the woman's lips.

"Wow… you're pretty," she told Savannah.

"Err… thanks?" she responded, feeling a bit awkward.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I'm a bit of a compulsive compliment-giver," the woman apologized, "Not that I'm being fake or anything! You really are pretty. Super pretty. Okay, I'm rambling now… hi, I'm Erin Reynolds, and that's Erin with an E."

Erin was a tall woman, standing five feet, ten inches tall. She had light brown skin, dark brown curly hair that fell past her shoulders, and aforementioned hazel eyes. She was wearing a dark gray top tucked into a high-waisted, red miniskirt, knee-high socks, and red sneakers.

"What's going on?" Savannah asked, feeling the need to change the subject.

"Oh, there's a Snorlax sleeping on the bridge out of town," Erin revealed, pointing a thumb over her shoulder at the crowd behind her, "Everyone's trying to figure out a way to move him."

"Why not just attack him?" Spectra asked.

"Snorlax are rare in the Kalos Region, so there's a conservationist here making sure no one's trying that," Erin revealed, turning to Spectra, "Oh my Arceus! You're so pretty, too!"

"You're not half bad either," Spectra responded, eying Erin up and down, "Nice legs."

"Thanks!" Erin exclaimed, grinning widely, but not understanding that Spectra's compliments was more flirtatious than kind.

"Okay… so how do we wake up a Snorlax without attacking one?" Tyrell asked, stepping forward.

Erin looked at him and her eyes widened a little bit. Her lips parted slightly and she looked like she wanted to compliment Tyrell, but she remained silent. Tyrell was a little taken aback by not being complimented, but figured Erin only did it to women.

"We need a PokéFlute," Damon stated, "The people I overheard yesterday were talking about it. There's one at Parfum Palace, but they won't give it over."

"You're a blind Pokémon Trainer!" Erin exclaimed, pointing at Damon, "That is so _cool_! Do you have, like, super hearing, or do you have a Lucario and can see aura?"

Damon sighed in frustration. He knew Erin meant no disrespect toward him and was simply trying to be nice, but the thought of him being able to see aura like a Lucario was ridiculous and he blamed comic books for the misconception that the copout existed for his disability.

"Just super hearing," Damon responded, forcing a smile, "Humans can't detect aura unless we're in a comic book and no one told me."

Tyrell now felt like the odd man out in the group since he was the only one to not receive a compliment from Erin. Why did pretty women hate him so much? He didn't even flirt with Erin like her normally did with every attractive woman he saw.

"Well, we know where to get a PokéFlute, so let's go to Parfum Palace," he suggested.

"C-Can I come with?" Erin asked, blushing a little bit as she avoided Tyrell's over-the-shoulder look, "I've never been to Parfum Palace and I'd love to see it."

"It's not going to be easy," Damon responded, "If I overheard those men last night correctly; the ruler in charge of Parfum Palace is a bit of a brat."

"Well, I think if we ask nicely and promise to bring it right back once we're done with the PokéFlute, they will say yes," Erin declared.

"Hopefully your optimism can prove to be valuable," Damon replied, "You can join if it's okay with these three."

Erin looked over at Savannah, Spectra, and Tyrell. He kept her back to her, and that seemed to confuse her and leave her a bit crestfallen. Savannah and Spectra noticed this reaction and glanced over at Tyrell in unison. A simple deduction later, and both women agreed to allow Erin to join their trip to Parfum Palace. Now it was all on Tyrell. Despite having three yes votes, his rejection could be enough for Erin to remain with the crowd.

"I'm feeling the peer pressure," Tyrell joked in a dry voice, "You can come with, I guess."

He shrugged his shoulders and then stalked off, leaving Erin feeling unsure whether he wanted her to accompany them or not. Spectra put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Don't mind him. He just woke up on the wrong side of the deck," she explained before sauntering off.

"What?" Erin questioned in absolute confusion.

The group traveled back toward Camphrier Town, but turned northward at a fork in the road. Now on Palais Lane, the group was introduced to two rows of trees on either side of a cobblestone pathway. The shade was welcomed by all five members of the group. Tyrell led the way and Erin stared at him sadly. Savannah and Spectra saw her staring and looked at each other. Savannah then jogged up ahead and walked side-by-side with Tyrell.

"Dude, why're you being so rude to Erin?" she asked in a whisper.

"She was rude to me first," Tyrell responded just as quietly, "She complimented all of you except me, because I'm the butt of the joke for everybody apparently."

"Obviously there's more to it than that," Savannah countered, "She looks upset, so maybe you should be nicer or she's gonna wind up like every girl you know. Loathing you."

With that, Savannah trailed back to the others and relayed what was going on to Spectra. She rolled her eyes in an annoyed manner and fought the urge to kick Tyrell where the sun don't shine.

Someone's stomach growled, but no one wanted to own up to being responsible for stopping the group for lunch. As Savannah prepared food for everyone, Tyrell stretched out his legs to avoid cramping, and turned to see Erin watching him.

"What're you looking at?" he asked.

"N-Nothing!" she responded before adding a shy, "Sorry…"

She then walked off to another part of the trail and was followed by Spectra. Damon nudged Savannah's side to gain her attention.

"What was _that _about?" he asked.

She told him what was currently going on between Tyrell and Erin. Damon nodded and looked at Tyrell as he focused on the high grass on the other side of the row of trees.

Erin noticed Spectra following her and turned to confront her.

"Can I help you?" she asked a bit rudely.

Her rudeness shocked Spectra and herself. Erin looked down in shame.

"Sorry… I'm just… I don't know," she grumbled.

"It's okay," Spectra assured her.

She sauntered around where Erin stood and smirked to herself.

"So… why didn't you compliment Tyrell?" Spectra asked, "You were nice to the rest of us, but went completely silent toward him."

"I… it's… um…," Erin stammered, becoming flustered.

"Ew! You think Tyrell's cute, don't you?" Spectra accused.

Erin hushed her hurriedly before anyone could overhear, but then nodded shyly when the coast was confirmed to be clear. Spectra began to gagging and giving disgusted looks to a confused Erin.

"What's so wrong with Tyrell?" she asked.

"He's _him_," Spectra responded, "But… I guess I can't judge."

"Is that why he's being so mean to me?" Erin asked, "He's upset that I didn't say anything nice to him?"

"Looks that way. He's kinda been the butt of our jokes for a bit too long and when he saw someone as pretty as you are handing out compliments, he got excited," Spectra explained, "He probably got hurt when you couldn't compliment him."

"Oh my Arceus… I'm such a jerk," Erin muttered.

"Sweetie, it's a nothing more than a little misunderstanding," Spectra assured, "Just go up to him and give him a compliment. Everything should be fine after that."

"You think?" Erin asked, "I mean… he _really _is cute, and I'd like to get to know him better, but…"

"Woman up and go talk to him," Spectra cut her off, pointing back toward the group.

"O-Okay! I will," Erin responded, "Thank you."

` She marched confidently past Spectra, who turned and followed Erin with her eyes. A devious grin formed along Spectra's face.

"Glad she fell for Tyrell and not me. I'd break her sweet ass open like a piñata," she commented to herself.

Erin marched up to Tyrell, but stumbled awkwardly over herself when he turned back to her. Tyrell gave an irritated sigh, still harboring a grudge over being left out of a person's kindness yet again.

"H-Hi… hello. Um… y-you have… nice… hair?" she stammered.

"What is this? Did Savannah or Spectra tell you why I'm upset? Do you pity me now?" Tyrell asked.

"No! I genuinely think you have nice hair," Erin responded.

"Ty, it was a misunderstanding," Savannah explained.

"I just got shy, because you're really… handsome," Erin revealed.

"Uh huh. No one thinks I'm handsome except me," Tyrell responded, "I ain't buying this."

"Dude, if you keep being rude to her, you're gonna wind up buying me a new pair of boots because I will cram them up your ass," Spectra threatened.

"Tyrell," Damon spoke up, "We're all sorry if we made you feel bad about yourself. We joke around; you know that."

"I don't feel bad about myself," Tyrell responded.

"Ty, c'mon. You do have low self-esteem, but it's not your fault. It's your Dad's," Savannah told him.

"He's treated you like shit all your life and no matter how much you try to avoid it, you can't help but to feel like crap because of it," Damon added on.

Tyrell looked between them and gave them a frustrated noise in response. Spectra felt a bit bad for how she had been treating him. She didn't know of Tyrell's estranged relationship with his father. She empathized with how he felt. Tyrell looked over at Erin and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Sorry, Erin… for being a dick. I guess my uh… daddy issues...," he apologized.

"It's okay. I understand," Erin cut him off, "It's hard to form relationships when your parents of all people treat you badly."

"Good! We're all made up," Spectra declared, "Let's have lunch."

As the group ate, a wild Pokémon floated out from the tall grass in order to investigate them. Savannah looked up and saw the Pokémon floating nearby staring at them.

"What the hell?" she questioned.

"What is it?" Damon asked.

"There's a wild Pokémon watching us," Savannah told him.

"Where?" Damon questioned, pulling out his Pokédex.

Savannah took the device from his hands and scanned the wild Pokémon for him.

"Honedge, the Sword Pokémon. Apparently this Pokémon is born when a departed spirit inhabits a sword. It attaches itself to people and drinks their life force," Damon's Pokédex stated.

"Creepy," Savannah responded, handing the Pokédex back over to Damon.

"Cool," he responded, standing up, "I want to catch that Honedge."

"Excuse me!" Tyrell exclaimed, standing up as well, "Maybe I want to catch Honedge."

"You have more Pokémon than I do, so bite me," Damon responded, taking a Pokéball off his belt.

He tossed it into the air and Froakie was released with a bright light. The Bubble Frog Pokémon looked up at his Trainer and then at the Honedge floating nearby. Froakie narrowed his eyes at his opponent. Damon narrowed his as well, but he was more confused than ready to battle. He wondered why Honedge came out of the tall grass. Was it just curious?

"Froakie, wait," he told the Water-type before stepping toward Honedge, "Is there something wrong, Honedge?"

The Sword Pokémon did not move. Damon tapped his chin a bit.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

The Sword Pokémon bobbed up and down in the air.

"I think it's saying yes," Erin revealed.

Damon took out an Oran Berry and extended it out to Honedge. The Sword Pokémon floated on over and wrapped the blue cloth around it. The Oran Berry was disturbingly drained of its vibrancy and started decaying in Damon's hand until it basically disintegrated into nothingness.

"That is _so _creepy," Savannah muttered under her breath.

"Would you like to join my team, Honedge?" Damon asked, wiping his hand against his pant leg, "There're more Berries and other treats where that came from if you do."

Honedge bobbed up and down in response.

"It's saying yes!" Erin squealed, "It's kinda adorable."

"Well, you think Tyrell is good looking, so I can't trust your opinion," Savannah retorted.

Damon took an empty Pokéball off his belt and held it out in front of Honedge. With a bush of a button, the Pokéball burst open, and absorbed the Steel-and-Ghost-type within. The Pokéball closed and it wriggled in Damon's hand for a moment before going still.

"And now I've caught a Honedge," he stated, grinning to himself.

"Yay," Savannah responded sarcastically.

"Well, while you were goofing off with wild Pokémon, I ate your lunch," Spectra revealed.

"What?" Damon questioned, turning around to the sound of her voice, "My sandwich!"

"Is in my belly," Spectra responded, patting her stomach.

Damon melancholically dragged his feet back to where the group had set up the lunch area and sat down with a sour expression on his face. There was a tap on his shoulder and Damon directed his attention to the person tapping.

"You can have my other sandwich," Erin offered, "I really can't eat two."

"Thank you," Damon told her, happily accepting the food.

"You're so nice that it's nearly disgusting," Spectra commented.

Erin shrugged her shoulders, not taking offense to Spectra's comment, and turned her attention back to the road ahead. The group members who can see can see the end of the row of trees and a large iron gate that separated Palais Lane from Parfum Palace. Their destination was near.


	17. Doing What Needs to be Done

The iron gates stopped Damon and company from venturing further onto the grounds of Parfum Palace. The beautiful architecture was stunning for eighty percent of the group. A security guard napping in a kiosk adjacent to the gate snored loudly. Erin jogged over to the kiosk and knocked softly on the glass, waking the guard with a start.

"Hi, sorry for waking you," Erin greeted the security guard, "Could we please speak to someone?"

"Ugh… no visitors today," the security guard grumbled groggily, "Go away."

"Please, sir. There's a Snorlax blocking the road and…," Erin tried explaining.

"Go. Away. Little girl," the security guard cut her off.

"Hey!" Spectra barked, storming over to the kiosk, "Why don't you show my friend here some respect you overzealous mall cop?"

"Why don't you back the hell up before I make you back up," the security guard threatened as he stood with an electric baton in hand.

Erin hurried back over to the rest of the group, but Spectra was unfazed by the baton. She stared at the electricity cackling between the two metal prongs with a gleam in her eye.

"That looks like fun," she stated before looking up at the security guard, "You gonna give me a little zap-zap, Mr. Security Guard?"

"I-I will if I have to," he responded unsurely.

"That won't be necessary," Damon declared as he marched forward, "We're not looking to be a nuisance to you, sir. We simply want to remove the Snorlax as peacefully as possible."

The security guard looked between Damon and Spectra before looking back at Savannah, Tyrell, and Erin. He sighed with quite a bit of frustration before disabling the power to his baton and sheathing it. The security guard took out a radio and turned it on.

"We have some kids… err… I mean, young adults at the front gate who need help with a Snorlax," he spoke into the radio.

"Do what we did to the people yesterday. Ms. Parfum does not wish to hand over her family's PokéFlute," a haughty voice responded.

"We'll bring it back as soon as we're done with it," Damon declared.

"I'm sorry, but my boss is not budging," the security guard apologized.

"Wait!" the haughty voice called out over the radio, "Ms. Parfum would wish to speak with the blind one."

Damon was a bit taken aback by being labeled as the blind one, but he did not make this known to the security guard.

"O-Okay, sir, but what about his friends?" the guard asked.

"I cannot go inside without them," Damon stated, "They assist me with my disability."

That hurt Damon to say, but the lie needed to work so his friends could accompany him. He did not want to go into an unknown situation alone.

"They can come," the haughty voice relented, "But they cannot touch _anything_."

"No promises," Spectra muttered under her breath which luckily went unheard by the security guard.

The iron gates opened and the guard escorted the group onto the grounds of Parfum Palace. The lawn meticulously kept in perfect condition stretched out on either side of a walkway that led up to the front door of the palace. The door opened and a young girl no older than twelve or thirteen marched toward the group. Savannah whispered into Damon's ear and described the people approaching them.

"You!" she exclaimed, pointing at Damon, "I want you to be my prince!"

"Come again?" Damon asked.

"What the fuck?" Savannah asked.

"How the fuck?" Tyrell asked.

"Why the fuck?" Spectra asked.

"How old is this one?" Erin asked.

An older man with white hair and a limp hobbled out of the palace next and cleared his throat.

"Your highness… you cannot approach strange men and demand them to be your prince," he explained.

Damon recognized his voice as the haughty man speaking to the security guard over the radio.

"You do not tell me what I can and cannot do, Andrew" the young girl responded, "I pay your salary."

"Oh my Arceus," Spectra muttered under her breath.

The young girl then turned back to Damon with a cutesy smile on her face.

"I am Princess Penelope Parfum, current ruler of Parfum Palace," she introduced herself.

"Damon… Pierce," Damon responded before clearing his throat and adding, "Your majesty."

"Prince Damon," Princess Penelope cooed, "I love how that sounds. We shall be wed tonight."

"Ahem," Savannah interjected, stepping forward, "Unfortunately, "Prince Damon" is spoken for."

"By whom?" Princess Penelope asked, "_You_? Bah! I would be an improvement over you."

"How so?" Savannah asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, for one… I'm not fat," Princess Penelope countered.

Tyrell immediately ran forward and held Savannah back from harming an adolescent girl. Princess Penelope ignored them completely and focused entirely on Damon.

"We will prove to the old families that Parfum is as strong as ever as soon as we wed," she told him.

"Your majesty… I'm afraid that you're… too young for me to wed," Damon stated.

"I'm twenty!" Princess Penelope barked.

"Oh shit," Tyrell responded with a gasp.

"We just met," Damon added on.

"And it was love at first sight," Princess Penelope cooed, "Don't you agree?"

"I don't," Damon responded, "I'm blind after all, but marriage is not why we're here. There's a Snorlax blocking the road, and…"

"And it is none of _my _concern," Princess Penelope cut him off.

"But you have a PokéFlute. You could help," Damon argued.

"I do and I could, but I won't," Princess Penelope responded.

"Why?" Damon asked, exasperated.

"How does helping the peasant population help me?" Princess Penelope asked.

"It can improve your image," Damon stated through gritted teeth.

"Hmm… is this true?" Princess Penelope asked Andrew.

"It seems plausible, but there is only one way to confirm the assumption," the elderly butler stated.

Princess Penelope tapped a finger against her chin and then noticed the Pokéballs clipped to Damon's belt.

"You're a Pokémon Trainer?" she asked.

"I am," Damon responded.

"I have a wager. If you beat me in a Pokémon battle, I let you borrow the PokéFlute," Princess Penelope stated, "But if I win… you have to marry me."

A deviously confident grew across her face and Savannah, Tyrell, and Erin looked at her in shock. Damon remained silent for a moment and then sighed.

"I agree to your terms," he stated.

"Ex_cuse _me?" Savannah questioned in disbelief.

"Dude, are you really betting your freedom for a musical instrument?" Tyrell asked.

"Surely there is another way," Erin pleaded.

"Nope. This is the only way," Princess Penelope revealed, "Now, Andrew! Bring me my Pokémon."

"Yes your majesty," the elderly butler responded, pulling out a sparkly Luxury Ball from his coat.

He handed it to the princess and she expanded it within her hand. Damon pulled a Pokéball off his belt and expanded it in his hand as well.

"Let's go… Furfrou!" Princess Penelope called out, tossing the Pokéball up into the air.

It burst open and released a Pokémon with an intricate trim along its fur. Damon used his spare hand to scan it with his Pokédex.

"Furfrou, the Poodle Pokémon. Trimming its fluffy fur not only makes it more elegant but also increases the swiftness of its movements," his Pokédex revealed.

"Froakie, I need you," Damon stated, tossing the Pokéball up into the air.

The Bubble Frog appeared and looked at his opponent. Furfrou growled ferociously at the Water-type Pokémon.

"The Pokémon battle between the wondrous Princess Penelope Parfum and her future husband, Damon Pierce will now begin!" Andrew called out.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Savannah muttered under her breath.

"Damon's got this spoiled brat," Tyrell assured.

"I sure hope so," Erin responded, "Wait… where's Spectra?"

The trio looked around, but the white-haired woman was nowhere to be seen. Their attentions were drawn back to the battle as it began with Damon making the first move.

"Pound, Froakie!" he called out.

Froakie leapt up into the air as his fist glowed with white energy. He came down and delivered the blow to the skull of Furfrou, but the Normal-type shook Froakie off with ease.

"Ha! My Furfrou has the Fur Coat ability, which halves all incoming physical attacks. We're too tough for you, sweetie," Princess Penelope taunted, "Furfrou, use Headbutt!"

"Dodge it, Froakie!" Damon called out.

Froakie landed and immediately jumped again to avoid being rammed by the incoming Poodle Pokémon. Furfrou and Princess Penelope looked up as Froakie momentarily hovered in the air.

"Froakie! Use Water Pulse!" Damon shouted.

Froakie formed a ball of water in his hands and chucked it down at Furfrou. The Normal-type was engulfed by the attack and then battered by pulsating blasts. While the attack did not knock Furfrou out, it did ruin his trim. The Poodle Pokémon stood there, looking rather raggedy and disheveled. Princess Penelope gasped in horror and Froakie landed in front of Damon.

"How… _dare you_!?" she screamed.

Damon winced at the shrill shriek assaulting everyone's ears. Princess Penelope had tears running down her face, messing up her mascara, and she returned Furfrou to his Pokéball.

"Andrew! Take Furfrou to the groomer _immediately_!" she screamed.

"Your majesty… the battle?" Andrew asked.

"Now!" Princess Penelope shrieked.

Andrew hastily ran off with the Pokéball in hand. Damon cleared his throat and turned Princess Penelope's rage onto him.

"I think this counts as you forfeiting the match," he stated, "The PokéFlute, please."

"Guards! Guards! Remove these peasants from the palace grounds _at once_!" Princess Penelope screamed.

"We had a deal!" Damon shouted angrily.

"Sorry, sweetie, but the deal's off," Princess Penelope growled, "You _destroyed _my perfect Furfrou's trim and that is _unforgivable_!"

Security guards arrived on the scene and forcibly removed Damon's group from the palace grounds. They stood there with their shoulders slumped in defeat.

"I should've let Savannah beat that brat's ass," Tyrell grumbled.

"Normally I don't agree with violence, but she _seriously _needs a wakeup call," Erin added.

"You okay, Damon?" Savannah asked.

"Just… frustrated," he admitted, "You battled well, Froakie. Thank you."

He returned the Bubble Frog Pokémon to his Pokéball and clipped it to his belt. The group started back along Palais Lane, but stopped when Spectra dropped from one of the trees in front of them.

"About time you got here," she stated.

"Where did you go?" Savannah asked.

"Well… I knew the princess wasn't going to give up the flute, so I um… got it and ran," Spectra revealed, pulling the PokéFlute from her cleavage.

"You stole the flute?" Damon asked in disbelief.

"We needed it. They didn't and they weren't gonna give it up," Spectra reasoned.

Damon was stunned and was a whole mix of emotions. While he was grateful that they now possessed the PokéFlute and can remove the sleeping Snorlax; he full-heartedly disagreed with Spectra's method in receiving it.

"I… you shouldn't have stolen it," Damon stammered.

"Are you really judging me?" Spectra asked, "I did it _for you_."

"You shouldn't have had to break the law for me!" Damon shouted.

Spectra narrowed her eyes and threw the PokéFlute at Damon, bouncing it off his chest.

"Screw you!" she snapped before storming off ahead of the group.

Damon sighed and picked the PokéFlute up off the ground. He pinched the bridge of his nose and looked back at Parfum Palace. If he brought the flute back, they could arrest Spectra for its theft. The Snorlax was still blocking the road as far as he knew, so Damon knew what he had to do.

Without saying anything to the others, he stuck his hands in his pockets, and dragged his feet across Palais Lane. Savannah jogged up after him, allowing Tyrell and Erin to lag behind together.

"I know you're upset with Spectra, but…," she said.

"Are you really defending her?" Damon cut her off.

"In hindsight… she was right to take the PokéFlute. The only reason that little bitch cared about it was because other people needed to use it," Savannah argued.

"She broke the law," Damon countered, "This could bring repercussions on _all _of us. I told her not to risk getting us in trouble with her antics and she… did so anyway."

Savannah frowned and looked ahead where Spectra was marching angrily. She jogged up to her and had to make an effort to keep pace with the angry woman.

"Hey," Savannah greeted.

"You gonna lecture me too?" Spectra asked bitterly.

"No… I think you were right to do what you did," Savannah revealed, "That little brat was never going to honor her side of the deal. We needed the PokéFlute and you were the only one willing to get it no matter the cost."

"_Thank _you," Spectra responded, "Now could you beat some sense into your boyfriend's skull for me?"

"He's right too," Savannah countered.

"Ugh… you suck all the dick," Spectra grumbled.

"Listen. Now while I think the princess and her people won't even notice the PokéFlute is gone, they could, and that could get _all of us _into trouble," Savannah explained.

"Only if I got caught," Spectra argued.

"Are you sure that no one noticed you? No cameras? Nothing?" Savannah asked.

"As sure as I wanna be smothered by your tits," Spectra responded, "I'm not some amateur, Red. I'm Spectra for fuck's sake. No bratty princess is gonna be the death of me."

"Okay," Savannah stated, "Damon will forgive you eventually. He's… forgiving."

"He sure is. You still have a problem with him being blind?" Spectra asked.

"Nope," Savannah answered quickly.

The group returned to the bridge where the crowd gathered around the sleeping Snorlax. Damon lifted the PokéFlute high up over the heads of the people.

"We have the PokéFlute!" he exclaimed, gaining the attentions of the crowd around him.

An applause rolled through the crowd that left Damon a little stunned. Savannah grabbed his hand and led him through to where the sleeping Snorlax remained. They handed the PokéFlute over to the conservationist and they played a tune on the flute, waking Snorlax up, and sending it trotting off into the mountains.

"Good work," the conservationist told Damon's group, "How did you convince the Princess to hand over the flute?"

"We can be… convincing. She let us have it, too," Damon lied, "Keep it in case Snorlax returns."

The conservationist nodded and Spectra stared at Damon in disbelief. She then slapped his shoulder, forcing a smile from him.

"The Princess didn't need the flute," he admitted, "Let's get going. We've wasted enough time today."

"Hey! Look at this!" Erin exclaimed, pointing out a sign across the bridge.

The group hurried over to it and those who could see read it.

"Battle Chateau Tournament. First place gets a hundred thousand Pokédollars and one mystery prize," Savannah read for Damon, "Trainers are still being accepted."

"We should enter," Tyrell suggested.

"It sounds fun," Erin added.

"The Battle Chateau isn't too far ahead," Savannah revealed, "We should be able to get there before nightfall."

The group then departed for the Battle Chateau and found the impressive building sitting atop the river that ran alongside Rivière Walk. Once inside, Damon, Tyrell, and Erin all signed up for the tournament.

"Wait… you're a Trainer?" Tyrell asked.

"Of course," Erin responded.

"What kind of Pokémon do you have?" he asked.

"You'll have to find out when the tournament begins," Erin teased, "Good night, guys."

She then left for the room she rented for the night at the Chateau. Luckily the Battle Chateau was not so restrictive to non-Trainers renting their rooms so long as they had the money to do so; therefore, Spectra was able to rent a room for herself. Tyrell was definitely thankful for this.


	18. The Battle Chateau Tournament Part 1

The next morning, the tournament began, and the owner of the Battle Chateau gathered all of the Trainers competing in the main lobby of the building. Damon stood beside Tyrell and Erin while Savannah and Spectra stood off to the side of the entire group.

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen. My name is Duke Turner," he greeted them, "And welcome to the Battle Chateau. Every year, we hold this tournament for Trainers to compete in. You see, the Trainers who will be battling in this tournament will receive a special rank that they can carry with them for their entire lives. Starting right this very moment, every Trainer competing is now a Baron or Baroness. I myself am a Grand Duke here at the Battle Chateau. Yes, my official title is Grand Duke, Duke Turner."

Murmurs flew through the group of competing Trainers as excitement grew amongst the masses.

"The tournament will be four rounds and each round will require the Trainers to switch Pokémon which is why we required all of you to have at least four Pokémon," Duke explained, "Who you will be battling first will be determined in a couple of minutes, so talk amongst yourselves, and make some rivals and friends today!"

Duke then left the Trainers to their own accord and the three Trainers we actually care about were joined by Savannah and Spectra.

"Are you all excited?" Savannah asked.

"Of course!" Erin exclaimed as she practically vibrated with enthusiasm, "I hope to be able to battle both Damon and Tyrell in the tournament."

"Wait… that means you expect to beat one of us," Tyrell responded.

Erin simply shrugged and swayed back and forth where she stood. Their conversation caught the attention of Ryder Rox, another competitor in the Battle Chateau Tournament. He possessed two orange Mohawks going across the top of his skull, a large septum piercing, stretched ears, and plenty of tattoos. His attention moved across the three attractive women in the group and he turned fully toward them.

"Hel_lo _ladies," he greeted them, "Any of you care for a ride with the Ryder?"

He thrust his pelvis toward them and received disgusted looks in response from Savannah, Spectra, and Erin. Spectra took the initiative and stepped toward Ryder, looking unimpressed.

"One, I never thought I'd find someone more repulsive than Tyrell," she commented.

"Hey!" Tyrell protested.

"Two, the nineteen-eighties called and they want their shoulder spikes back," Spectra added, "Three… fuck off before I zip-tie your earlobes together."

"You have a mouth, sweetheart. I like your mouth. I'd like it better with my cock in it though," Ryder responded immediately.

Damon took an aggressive step toward Ryder, but Spectra stopped him. She grinned at Ryder and jabbed a finger against his chest.

"If that happened, I'd be able to have a full, coherent conversation with you and tell you exactly what a waste of a life you are," Spectra responded.

"Huh?" Ryder questioned, confused.

"She's saying you have a tiny dick," Tyrell revealed.

He held his hand up for a high-five from Spectra, but she ignored him entirely. Ryder started becoming annoyed with how badly his flirting attempts were going.

"You three are some stuck-up bitches," he spat.

"Why are you being so rude to us?" Erin asked, "You're objectifying us and now you're insulting us."

"It's because he's used to targeting women with low self-esteem, and insult the ones who dismiss him as being nothing but a loser," Savannah explained.

"Leave us alone or we'll report you for harassment to the tournament organizers," Damon threatened, remaining calm.

"Whatever," Ryder responded, "I'll be sure to kick all your asses."

With an obnoxious snort, Ryder retreated while Erin simply looked hurt from everything he said. Spectra put a hand on her shoulder and smirked.

"Don't look so down," she told her, "Just ignore the losers and everything they try to do to bring your down to their level."

Erin nodded and then the Duke returned with the first round of the tournament ready to begin.

"The first battle of the tournament will be between Cassandra Coleman and Denny Hurst!" he announced, "Everyone else, please follow my friends so they may seat you!"

As everyone was led to their seats, the first battle began. The battlefield was behind the Battle Chateau, resting atop the river as well. The two battlers faced off against each other with confident grins as Duke took his position atop the stands. He held a microphone in one hand and wore a grin.

"Today's battle will be special as we have just recently installed a highly-advanced field that will be used in this season's Kalos League!" Duke revealed, "Each Trainer gets a special biome for their half of the battlefield. They must adapt to what field they are given and to what field their opponent is given! Adaptation is an important Trainer trait, so I expect great things from everyone! Now… let's see what fields our first battlers will receive!"

Two wheels with four results each began spinning on a screen across the battlefield from where everyone sat. Cassandra and Denny watched their fate spin before their eyes.

"This is going to make things interesting," Damon admitted.

"And even more difficult for you since you can't see," Savannah responded.

The wheels finally stopped, landing on a mountain biome for Cassandra and a grassland biome for Denny. The battlefield then split in the middle, retracting toward the two Trainers before being replaced by one portion being hard rock littered with large boulders and another boasting a well-kept plain of grass. A referee then stepped into the middle of the battlefield, raising two flags in either hand.

"The battle will be a one-on-one and will be determined by myself when either Pokémon is unable to battle! Trainers, please send out your Pokémon!" the referee called out.

The battle went on with Denny eventually coming out victorious. The crowd applauded respectfully and a crestfallen Cassandra found a seat in the stands to continue watching the rest of the tournament. Denny found another spot to sit and then Duke stood up from his seat.

"That battle was incredible! Now… who's next?" he exclaimed, pausing for dramatic tension, "The next battle will be between… Erin Reynolds and… Luke Bentley!"

Erin stood up and breathed deeply to calm her nerves. Tyrell stood up beside her and put a hand on her shoulder, causing her to blush.

"You got this. You still need to battle Damon and myself," he assured her.

"Thanks Ty," Erin whispered shyly.

She then descended the stands as Tyrell returned to his seat. Erin stood on one side of the battlefield while her opponent stood on the other. The wheels began spinning on the screen and everyone who could see it watched in anticipation. The wheels stopped on a water biome for Erin and a mountain biome for Luke. A six-foot deep pool of water with several floating platforms slid out before Erin.

"I hope Erin has some Water-types, or she's screwed," Spectra commented, throwing handfuls of popcorn into her mouth.

"Where'd you get popcorn?" Savannah asked.

"Hey! Where'd my popcorn go?" another Trainer asked from a couple rows above where the group sat.

Spectra ignored the accusing stares of Damon, Savannah, and Tyrell and continued munching on her popcorn.

"Let's go Inkay!" Luke called out his Pokémon.

"Vaporeon, I need you!" Erin called out.

Damon aimed his Pokédex at Erin and Luke's Pokémon and scanned them with the device.

"Inkay, the Revolving Pokémon. Opponents who stare at the flashing of the light-emitting spots on its body become dazed and lose their will to fight. Vaporeon, the Bubble Jet Pokémon. It prefers beautiful shores. With cells similar to water molecules, it could melt in water," his Pokédex stated.

"Hmm…," Damon hummed to himself, putting away his Pokédex for the time being.

"This is going to be tough. Neither Pokémon have a distinct advantage over the other," Savannah commented.

"Yeah, but Erin has the biome to use to her advantage," Tyrell added.

"Inkay can float, so it is not as limited as other Pokémon might be though," Damon argued.

"Begin!" the referee exclaimed.

"Vaporeon, use Water Gun!" Erin called out.

Vaporeon emitted a jet of water from her mouth at Inkay.

"Inkay, use Foul Play!" Luke countered.

Inkay glowed with dark energy and spun rapidly in the air, using his tentacles to dissipate the oncoming Water Gun. Inkay then slapped Vaporeon in the face several times.

"Knock him back with Double Kick!" Erin cried out.

Vaporeon turned on a dime and kicked out with both of her back feet, hitting Inkay in the face, and forcing the Psychic-and-Dark-type away.

"Use Hypnosis!" Luke called out.

"Dive underwater!" Erin cried out.

A pair of psychic rings shot out of Inkay's eyes toward Vaporeon, but she dodged the attack by diving into the pool. Inkay floated over the water's surface in search of his opponent. Erin then started smiling.

"Water Gun!" she ordered.

A jet of water burst straight up out of the pool, hitting Inkay hard.

"You can attack underwater!?" Luke called out in disbelief.

Inkay wavered in the air as he struggled to remain able to battle. Vaporeon burst out of the pool and stared down her opponent.

"Let's finish this with Aurora Beam!" Erin called out.

"Dodge it, Inkay!" Luke ordered desperately.

It was too late and the multicolored beam of energy struck Inkay and knocked him out. The referee lifted the arm holding Erin's flag after confirming Inkay could no longer continue battling.

"Wow… she's tough," Savannah commented.

The group watched the next few battles happen before Duke stood to announce the next matchup.

"Damon Pierce and… Ryder Rox!" he announced.

Damon stood up and sighed. He overheard some murmuring as Savannah helped him down from the stands to the battlefield.

"Well, this is a first for me ladies and gentlemen. A blind Pokémon Trainer," Duke commented.

"Too bad you can't see the ass-whooping I'm about to inflict upon you," Ryder taunted.

"Kick his ass, Damon!" Spectra shouted from the stands.

The wheels began spinning up on the screen and Damon felt his heart racing inside his chest. He plucked a Pokéball off his belt and expanded it within his hand.

"And the fields both Trainers will have to work with are…," Duke announced as the wheels slowed to a stop, "Basic and… basic!"

Two basic halves of a traditional battlefield slid out and connected between Damon and Ryder. The former sighed in relief that the result worked in his favor. He tossed his Pokéball up into the air and it burst open.

"Go Bulbasaur!" Damon called out.

The Seed Pokémon appeared and looked ready for the upcoming battle.

"This'll be Bulbasaur's first official battle," Savannah pointed out.

"Better late than never," Spectra added.

"Go Loudred!" Ryder roared, tossing his Pokéball up into the air where it burst open, and released the Pokémon from within.

Damon aimed his Pokédex at the Pokémon before Bulbasaur and himself, scanning it.

"Loudred, the Big Voice Pokémon. It shouts loudly by inhaling air, and then uses its well-developed stomach muscles to exhale," Damon's Pokédex revealed.

"There's your Loudred lesson for today, loser," Ryder continued taunting, "Now let's begin the ass-kicking."

"Begin!" the referee announced.

"Bulbasaur, use Leech Seed!" Damon called out.

Three seeds were fired from the bulb on the Grass-and-Poison-type's back, landing in front of Loudred. They immediately sprouted a web-like series of roots that wrapped up the Normal-type. Ryder growled at this and then smirked.

"Use Uproar to decimate that Leech Seed!" he yelled.

Loudred unleashed a booming yell that disintegrated Bulbasaur's Leech Seed as if it were wet toilet paper. Damon cringed as the Uproar hit Bulbasaur and himself.

"Oh no…," Savannah muttered from the stands, "Damon's hearing is sensitive. A noisy Pokémon like Loudred is going to be a terrible thing for him."

"Is it too late to get him some earplugs?" Spectra asked nervously.

Damon shook his head to collect himself and sighed.

"Is it too loud for you, loser?" Ryder asked tauntingly, "Heh… let's turn the volume up a bit then! Uproar again!"

Loudred unleashed another booming explosion of sound that pushed Bulbasaur back and battered the sense that Damon relied on the most since he could not see. His ears were ringing by now and his breathing became rapid. Bulbasaur looked back at his Trainer for instruction, but Damon was left unable to see or hear and it was freaking him out. Damon fought against his anxiety, knowing he had to do _something _so Bulbasaur could fight back.

"Vine Whip!" he shouted extra loudly, but still could not hear himself.

Bulbasaur could and launched the vines at Loudred, striking the Normal-type in the chest.

"Grr… you little punk," Ryder growled, "Use Bite!"

Loudred ran forward. Damon felt the ground shake as the rather large Pokémon advanced toward his own. He could not see or hear, but he could still feel.

"Use Poison Powder!" he shouted.

As soon as Loudred get close enough to chomp down on Bulbasaur, the Seed Pokémon fired a cloud of poisonous powder into the Normal-type's mouth. Loudred coughed violently and stumbled around. Damon's hearing slowly began returning to him and he heard Loudred flailing about and coughing.

"You little prick! That's a dirty move for sure!" Ryder complained, looking at the ref.

"Ha! The ingenuity from Damon!" Duke cheered from his seat.

"Loudred! Use Uproar!" Ryder screamed.

Loudred collected himself as purple static ran along his body. He tried unleashing the booming burst of sound, but immediately started coughing again. The Poison Powder being delivered directly into his mouth damaged his throat and left him unable to use any sound attacks.

"Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip!" Damon ordered.

Bulbasaur launched another pair of vines from the bulb on his back and they wrapped around Loudred's large teeth. The Seed Pokémon then chucked Loudred high up into the air before slamming him back down into the battlefield. The impact kicked up some dust as Bulbasaur's vines returned to him. The dust settled and everyone aside from Damon saw Loudred was no longer able to battle.

"Loudred is unable to battle; therefore, the winner is Damon Pierce!" the referee announced.

Damon breathed a sigh of relief and knelt down as he heard Bulbasaur run his way.

"Good work," Damon told the Pokémon, petting the top of his head.

He then returned Bulbasaur to his Pokéball and stood tall in his victory. Ryder shot him dirty looks as he returned Loudred to his Pokéball.

"Little prick… son of a bitch… bastard," he growled under his breath.

Ryder watched as Damon trekked across the bridge connecting the stands to the battlefield and then something devious came over him. Ryder charged Damon from behind and shoved him off his feet. All Damon felt was the air rushing past his body and then heard a splash. Damon could not breathe and he clawed around in hopes to find the surface, but the current was powerful and unpredictable between the Battle Chateau and the battlefield. Damon was quickly overpowered and he blacked out from lack of oxygen. The last thing he heard before everything went blacker than usual was a splash.

Damon regained consciousness with a set of lips breathing life into him. The lips removed themselves from his person, allowing him to cough up water. As the rest of the senses he had left returned, Damon looked around trying to collect himself.

"You son of a bitch! I'll fucking kill you!" Tyrell shouted as he fought against several people to reach a restrained Ryder.

"Damon! Damon!" Savannah screamed into his ear.

"You good?" Spectra's worried voice brought Damon back to reality.

He blinked and gathered his bearings before sitting up. He felt hands all over him, trying to keep him from falling over. He was cold. He was wet.

"W-What happened?" Damon asked.

"That _asshole _piece of shit pushed you into the river," Savannah revealed.

"Let go of me! Let go of me!" Ryder screamed as he was escorted away.

"Yes, we need police down at the Battle Chateau ASAP. A Trainer just attempted to murder another Trainer," Duke spoke into his Holo Caster.

"H-How did I get out?" Damon asked.

"I jumped in after you, of course. I saw you weren't resurfacing, so I dove in," Spectra revealed, "Glad I wasn't wearing white or everyone would be seeing a show."

"You saved me," Damon muttered in disbelief, "Again."

"Well, I wouldn't have to if you didn't find yourself in the shittiest of situations," Spectra countered.

Damon threw his arms around her and hugged out of the gratuity he was feeling toward her. Spectra was stunned and wanted to fight off his embrace, but something felt… nice about it. She felt comforted by the affection and smiled to herself. Spectra was then hugged by Savannah and her smile became a lecherous grin.

"Ah… my choice threesome," she whispered so only they could hear her.

"Only in your dreams," Savannah muttered in response, "H-Hey! Let go!"

Spectra gave her breast a gentle squeeze before releasing her grip and grinning madly at the furious redhead.


	19. The Battle Chateau Tournament Part 2

Damon lay in his bed receiving kisses all over his face and neck from Savannah. His head hurt a little bit from his sudden and unwanted plunge into the river. There was a knock on the door, so Savannah ended her kissing barrage to answer it.

"Afternoon, kiddies," Duke greeted them as he stepped in, "How're you feeling, Mr. Pierce?"

"Pretty good considering I almost drowned," Damon responded, "I talked to the police and a nurse checked me out and said I'm good to go."

"That's good to hear. Your health is very important to us at the Battle Chateau. I apologize greatly that there were no barriers in place along the bridge between the stands and the battlefield," Duke told him.

"It's fine," Damon assured, "You couldn't predict some a-hole was going to push me over the edge."

"No, we could not. It burns me up that he did that to you, and over losing a battle of all things," Duke commented, "Well… it's in the past now and I'm choosing to look at the present. We just finished the first round of the tournament and the second round will be beginning shortly."

"Okay, we'll be out there," Damon responded, "Um… did my friend advance to the second round? Tyrell James?"

"He sure did," Duke revealed, He's about to be battling Ms. Reynolds. See you out there."

He left the room and Damon stood up from the bed, stretching his limbs. Savannah looked at him unsurely.

"That was nice of Duke to check on you," she commented.

"He was just trying to make sure I wasn't going to sue," Damon responded, "Disability centers all over the world would jump at the opportunity to reap the Battle Chateau of all of its money if I had chosen to sue. I'd be rich, but they weren't at fault, and I'm not an asshole."

"No… you're not," Savannah agreed, "So Tyrell is going to battle Erin."

"That's going to be interesting for sure," Damon stated, "I can't wait to listen to it."

He chuckled dryly and tapped his cane against the ground. Damon found it miraculous that he was able to hold onto the object through his swim. He and Savannah then left the room where the latter saw Spectra waiting for them.

"Everything okay?" she asked, "I saw Duke Squared swing by to visit."

"Yeah, everything's fine. He just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to sue," Damon explained.

"Are you?" Spectra asked.

"Nah," Damon responded.

"Dude… this could be like winning the lottery. You'd never have to worry about money _ever _again," Spectra pointed out.

"I don't worry about money now," Damon argued, "I'm not interested in ruining people's lives because some asshole pushed me into a river."

"Okay," Spectra gave in to Damon's wishes, "You okay though?"

She sounded genuinely concerned, so Damon approached and gently nudged her with his cane. Spectra looked up at him a little shyly as he smiled at her.

"I'm fine," Damon told her softy.

"I know," Spectra responded, rolling her eyes.

"We should get going. Tyrell and Erin's battle will be starting soon," Savannah interjected.

The trio then departed for the stands just as Duke began introducing Tyrell and Erin as the next battlers. Their fields had already been chosen as mountain for Tyrell and grassland for Erin.

"The Battle Chateau's quarterfinals will now begin! Tyrell James… Erin Reynolds… let's see what Pokémon you'll be using today!" Duke exclaimed, his voice magnified across a set of loudspeakers.

"Let's go Charmander!" Tyrell called out.

"Espeon, I need you!" Erin called out.

"She has a Vaporeon _and _an Espeon?" Savannah questioned.

"I believe she has a whole team of Eeveelutions," Damon stated, "It's a rare thing to see, but it's not totally unheard of."

He took out his Pokédex and scanned Espeon with the device.

"Espeon, the Sun Pokémon. The tip of its forked tail quivers when it is predicting its opponent's next move," Damon's Pokédex stated.

Down on the battlefield, Charmander was pumping himself up for the battle. Tyrell shared his Pokémon's fire and smirked over at Erin.

"You ready to see whether you'll be battling both Damon and myself today?" he asked.

"I'm prepared to give you my best, Tyrell," Erin responded.

"Good… let's _do _this!" he exclaimed, "Charmander, use Ember!"

"Espeon, block it with Swift!" Erin countered.

Charmander spat out a flurry of tiny fireballs that were met in the middle of the battlefield by a line of star-shaped energy blasts. An explosion covered the battlefield in smoke.

"Charmander, run in and use Scratch!" Tyrell shouted.

"Detect him in the smoke and use Quick Attack!" Erin called out.

Charmander ran into the thick smoke, but Espeon started flicking her forked tail in the air to detect his movement within. When she finally found the Fire-type, she ran in with a blur of energy left in her wake. Charmander cried out as Espeon slammed into him. The smoke faded away as Charmander flew out of it to Tyrell's feet. He picked himself up off the ground and growled at Espeon.

"Ember!" Tyrell called out.

"Send it back with Confusion!" Erin countered.

Charmander unleashed another fireball barrage, but Espeon suddenly started glowing with a blue aura. The oncoming Ember stopped in midair and turned blue before flying back at Charmander, striking him hard.

"Charmander!" Tyrell cried out.

"Finish this with Psybeam!" Erin ordered.

A red beam of energy was then fired from the gemstone on Espeon's forehead, striking Charmander in the midsection. The Fire-type wavered for a second before collapsing in an unconscious heap before his stunned Trainer. Tyrell had to do a double take to fully grasp that he had been defeated.

"Charmander is unable to battle; therefore, the winner is Erin Reynolds!" the referee announced.

Tyrell sighed and returned Charmander to his Pokéball.

"We did it, Espeon! Thank you _so _much!" Erin squealed at her Psychic-type Pokémon.

She then returned her to her Pokéball and looked up at Tyrell. They shared a silent moment between each other before nodding and returning to the stands.

"Aw… Tyrell lost," Savannah commented.

"Erin sure is tough," Spectra added.

"I wonder if I'm correct about what Pokémon she owns," Damon muttered.

Two more battles occurred in the meantime before Damon was finally matched up against his opponent, Denny. He stood and allowed Savannah to escort him onto the battlefield. This time, he received a respectful round of applause from the other Trainers in attendance. They had all seen Damon be pushed into the river and his return impressed the majority. Damon; however, did not appreciate the added attention and did his best to ignore it. He took a breath and readied a Pokéball. The wheels spun on the screen and Damon waited for the results to be announced.

"And the fields Damon and Denny will be battling on are… grassland and water!" Duke revealed.

"Let's go Honedge!" Damon called out.

"Litleo, come on out!" Denny shouted.

"What is this guy thinking?" Savannah asked, "Litleo's part Fire-type and half the battlefield is water."

"Yes, but Litleo also has quite the advantage over Honedge," Spectra revealed, "This is going to be tough for Damon."

Damon took out his Pokédex and scanned Litleo with it.

"Litleo, the Lion Cub Pokémon. The stronger the opponent it faces, the more heat surges from its mane and the more power flows through its body," his Pokédex stated.

"We can do this, Honedge," Damon assured his Pokémon.

"Begin!" the referee called out.

"Hope onto the grass and use Ember!" Denny called out.

Litleo hastily leapt off of the floating platform to the relative safety of the grassland battlefield on Damon's side. He then launched a fiery burst from his mouth toward Honedge.

"Use Autotomize and then dodge!" Damon called out.

Honedge's body gleamed and then he speedily dodged the oncoming fireballs.

"What does Autotomize do?" Tyrell asked from up in the stands.

"It lowers the user's weight and allows it to be faster," Savannah revealed.

"Damon's trying to use speed to his advantage," Spectra added.

Litleo was still faster; however, and turned to face Honedge, who was now behind him.

"Ember again!" Denny called out.

A fiery explosion resulted from Honedge being struck by the Fire-type attack and the Steel-and-Ghost-type was now floating over the pool of water on Denny's side of the battlefield. Damon clenched his fists, but then smirked. He had a hunch about his opponent.

"Litleo's only attack that can be used on Honedge is Ember, isn't it?" he asked Denny.

"So what if it is? It's all we need to beat you," Denny responded, "Ember!"

Litleo launched another fireball barrage at Honedge.

"Honedge, use Cut on the water's surface to block the Ember!" Damon called out.

Honedge slashed the surface of the water, sending it up into the path of the Ember. Steam filled the air as the water extinguished Litleo's attack.

"What the!?" Denny shouted in shock.

"Use Swords Dance and Autotomize again!" Damon called out.

Honedge took this moment to raise his stats even further. His speed was now higher than Litleo's and his attack was nothing to balk at.

"Use Pursuit!" Damon ordered.

Honedge became engulfed in dark energy and he swung forward, hitting Litleo hard with his body. Litleo cried out and then collapsed in an unconscious heap for all to see.

"Litleo is unable to battle; therefore, the winner is Damon Pierce!" the referee announced.

Damon breathed a sigh of relief and returned Honedge to his Pokéball.

"Good job," he muttered under his breath.

Denny looked at Damon in stunned silence before returning his Litleo to his Pokéball. He was beginning to doubt Damon was actually blind. How did he know his Honedge was over the pool of water? Denny narrowed his eyes and then stormed over to Damon.

"Are you going to push me into the river too?" he asked Denny since he heard his approach.

"H-How did you know I was coming?" Denny asked.

"I can hear really well," Damon revealed, "It… helps me during battles. Do you mind helping me across to the stands?"

"O-Of course," Denny responded, assisting Damon across, "You're really strong."

"So are you. Thank you for giving Honedge and I a good battle," Damon replied.

Denny nodded and then forwent his belief that Damon was pretending to be blind. He did not pick up on anything that would make him seem like the type of person who would do something so unforgivable. Savannah met Damon at the base of the stands and assisted him back to his seat.

"Whew! Those were some battles, but now we're entering the semi-finals of the Battle Chateau Tournament!" Duke announced, "The final four Trainers left are Erin Reynolds, Lee Yung, Warren Smith, and Damon Pierce! I hope we get even more action as we get closer to the finale of the tournament! Please enjoy a ten minute intermission in the meantime."

"I'm so excited," Erin commented as she practically vibrated in her seat.

"I hope to be battling you," Damon told her, "But tell me… is your entire team comprised of Eeveelutions?"

"It is," Erin revealed, "My mother is a breeder who specializes in Eeveelutions. They're all so adorable that I could not resist collecting every single kind out there."

"Do you have every kind?" Savannah asked.

"Every one that's known," Erin answered, "Theoretically there could be an Eeveelution for every Pokémon type out there. Could you imagine a Dragon-type Eeveelution, or a Steel-type?"

"Pokémon evolution sure is incredible. One Pokémon being able to evolve into so many different Pokémon," Damon commented, "Throw in Mega Evolution and it just shows how special Pokémon are."

"Couldn't said it better myself," Tyrell added.

"I hope you're not too upset that I beat you," Erin told him.

"Nah, I just didn't battle hard enough," Tyrell responded, "Plus, who could be mad losing to someone as cute as you are?"

Erin blushed considerably and then found herself with Spectra's arm around her shoulders.

"She really is cute as a button," Spectra stated, grinning.

"The next matchups have been made!" Duke exclaimed, "First up are Damon Pierce and Lee Yung! That battle will be followed by Erin Reynolds and Warren Smith! Can the first two Trainers please make their way to the battlefield?"

Damon stood up and took a calming breath before descending the steps toward the battlefield. He had become familiar enough with the layout to no longer require assistance. Damon stood on one side of the battlefield while his opponent, Lee, stood on the other. The wheels began spinning up on the screen and then they began slowing down as they reached the final choices.

"Damon will be battling on a mountain battlefield while Lee will be battling on a basic!" Duke announced.

"Let's go Fletchling!" Damon called out.

"Come on out, Swirlix!" Lee called out.

Damon took out his Pokédex and scanned the Fairy-type floating before Fletchling and himself.

"Swirlix, the Cotton Candy Pokémon. To entangle its opponents in battle, it extrudes white threads as sweet and sticky as cotton candy," his Pokédex stated.

Damon returned his Pokédex to his pocket and focused on steadying his breathing. He could feel his anxiety levels beginning to rise. He was so close to winning. Just two more battles. Just. Two. More.

"Begin!" the referee announced, breaking Damon from his thoughts.

"Use Fairy Wind, Swirlix!" Lee ordered.

A pink gust of wind exuded from Swirlix's mouth and blew toward Fletchling.

"Dodge it and use Peck!" Damon countered.

Fletchling did an airborne barrel roll to avoid the Fairy Wind and then his beak glowed a bright white color as he flew in toward Swirlix.

"Meet him head-on with Tackle!" Lee shouted.

Swirlix slammed into Fletchling and both Pokémon felt the pain of the impact.

"Shake it off, Fletchling, and use Quick Attack!" Damon ordered.

Fletchling rebounded quicker than Swirlix did and he flew in at a rapid speed, slamming into the Fairy-type rather hard. Swirlix cried out as she was thrown to the ground by the impact. When the dust settled, it was revealed that Swirlix had been knocked out.

"Swirlix is unable to battle; therefore, the winner is Damon Pierce!" the referee announced.

"And with that, Damon is our first finalist! I wonder who will join him between Erin and Warren?" Duke announced.

Damon took a moment to collect himself and then felt Fletchling perch on his shoulder.

"Good job," he told the Normal-and-Flying-type Pokémon before returning him to his Pokéball.

Next up was Erin and her opponent, Warren. The duo faced each other on the battlefield as the wheels on the screen adjacent to them spun. They slowed to a halt as Duke prepared himself to announce the results.

"And Erin will have to battle on the water terrain while Warren has to battle on the mountain terrain!" he announced.

"That's not good. Erin has a team of Eeveelutions and she's already used Vaporeon," Savannah commented.

"I'm not counting her out yet," Damon responded.

"Yeah! Have some faith in her, Red," Tyrell added in.

"Let's go Pumpkaboo!"Warren called out his Pokémon.

"Glaceon, I need you!" Erin called out.

Damon aimed his Pokédex at both Pokémon, scanning them with the device.

"Pumpkaboo, the Pumpkin Pokémon. The pumpkin body is inhabited by a spirit trapped in this world. As the sun sets, it becomes restless and active. Glaceon, the Fresh Snow Pokémon. By controlling its body heat, it can freeze the atmosphere around it to make a diamond-dust flurry," his Pokédex stated.

"Begin!" the referee announced.

"Glaceon, use Icy Wind!" Erin ordered.

Glaceon proceeded to emit a freezing wind that froze the water in Erin's side of the battlefield. This allowed Glaceon to effortlessly navigate the whole of her side.

"Razor Leaf, Pumpkaboo!" Warren called out.

The Ghost-and-Grass-type spun around, sending in a flurry of razor-sharp leaves at Glaceon.

"Detect!" Erin ordered.

Glaceon dodged the entirety of the Razor Leaf as if she knew the trajectory of each leaf and time moved at a Slugma's pace for her. A confident grin appeared on Erin's face as her opponent suddenly became unsure of what to do against her.

"Dash in with Quick Attack and finish this with Ice Fang!" Erin shouted.

Glaceon moved faster than fast, but stopped just before the Quick Attack would cause her to go through Pumpkaboo due to the Pumpkin Pokémon's Ghost typing. A set of icy fangs appeared around her jaws and Glaceon chomped down onto her opponent, sending Pumpkaboo crashing onto the rocky battlefield below.

"Pumpkaboo is unable to battle; therefore, the winner is Erin Reynolds!" the referee announced.

"That's it ladies and gentlemen!" Duke shouted, "Our finalists have been decided! Damon Pierce and Erin Reynolds will now battle it out to see who will become victorious in this year's Battle Chateau Tournament!"

Erin returned Glaceon to her Pokéball and looked up into the stands to stare down Damon. She saw the smirk grow along his face and an identical one grew on hers.


	20. The Battle Chateau Tournament Part 3

Ten minutes went by as if it were nothing. Damon and Erin met each other on the battlefield to the thunderous applause of the crowd. Damon gripped his cane until his knuckles turned white. He would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous. The same went for Erin. Both knew the other was strong and earned their place as finalists in the tournament.

Up in the stands, Tyrell was having a hard time deciding who to root for. Savannah and Spectra were becoming annoyed with the vocal debate he was having with himself.

"Erin is great and she thinks I'm good looking, but Damon's my bro, and everyone knows the saying is bros before…," Tyrell talked to himself.

"Finish that statement and I hurt you," Spectra cut him off with a threatening tone.

"Ditto," Savannah added on.

"Well, it's easy for you two to know who to root for. One of you has sex with one of them and the other wants to have sex with one of them," Tyrell grumbled in response.

"Both," Spectra corrected.

Savannah gave her an incredulous look that Spectra simply shrugged at.

"You can be included in our little group fling if ya wanna, Red," she told Savannah.

"Am I included in the group?" Tyrell asked.

"Not even in your dreams," Spectra responded.

"Too late," Tyrell revealed.

"Ew!" Spectra cried out in disgust.

Down on the battlefield, a pair of basic fields extended out between Damon and Erin. The rules forwent the random biomes the other tournament rounds had as no one wanted either Trainer to have an unintentional advantage over the other. Skill was going to be more important than luck.

"Damon!" Erin called out from her side of the battlefield, "Good luck."

"You too," he responded, "Give me your best and I'll give you mine."

He grabbed a Pokéball off his belt and expanded it within his hand. Erin did the same. Duke stood up and held the microphone to his mouth.

"And here we are, ladies and gentlemen! The final battle of the Battle Chateau Tournament!" he announced, "The sun is literally setting on us today. I hope our finalists give us a show worthy of it!"

"Go Froakie!" Damon called out, sending his ace Pokémon into the battle.

"Go Jolteon!" Erin called out, sending her Pokémon into the fray as well.

Damon took out his Pokédex in order to scan Jolteon with it.

"Jolteon, the Lightning Pokémon. Every hair on its body starts to stand sharply on end if it becomes charged with electricity," his Pokédex stated.

"Figures she would go with a type advantage," Savannah commented.

"Well, Damon's smart enough and Froakie does have that Protean ability to help nullify the type advantage," Spectra responded.

"Begin!" the referee announced.

"Froakie, use Pound!" Damon called out.

"Keep him back with Pin Missile!" Erin countered.

Froakie jumped back with a glowing fist, but several yellow needles fired off from Jolteon's spiky fur. Froakie was hit several times and was forced to abandon his attack to avoid further damage.

"Use Thunder Shock!" Erin called out.

Electricity cackled around Jolteon and a jolt fired off from his body toward Froakie.

"Dodge it with Quick Attack!" Damon ordered.

Froakie dashed off to the side and avoided the Thunder Shock as it zapped the ground where he was just standing.

"Froakie, use Water Pulse!" Damon ordered.

"Block it with Thunder Shock!" Erin countered.

Froakie chucked a ball of water at Jolteon, but it was quickly destroyed by another jolt of lightning from the Electric-type Pokémon. A pulsating blast pushed both Pokémon back a couple inches as a result of the two attacks meeting.

"They seem pretty even right now," Savannah commented.

"They're sizing each other up," Tyrell responded, "Hell, it feels like they're playing chess with each other right now."

Damon took a breath and smiled at Erin's direction.

"How long have you been on this journey, Erin?" he asked her.

"For a little while," she revealed, "I have two Badges already, but I wanted to circle back to Lumiose City for some shopping."

"I feel a little outmatched," Damon admitted, "I only have one Badge."

"Oh, don't kid yourself," Erin responded, "You're as tough as they come, Damon Pierce. Jolteon, use Quick Attack!"

"Froakie, use Water Pulse on the ground between you and Jolteon!" Damon countered.

Jolteon dashed across the battlefield to where Froakie was, but the Bubble Frog threw a Water Pulse onto the ground between them. It exploded with a pulsating burst aimed at Jolteon, throwing the Electric-type backwards. Luckily for the Lightning Pokémon, the attack's strength was diluted as a result of Froakie's unconventional use of it, and he was able to return to an upright position.

"Jolteon, use Thunder Shock!" Erin called out.

"Use Quick Attack to dodge and then respond with Pound!" Damon ordered.

Jolteon launched another lightning bolt at Froakie, but he again dashed off to the side of it before leaping into the air with a glowing fist.

"Pin Missile!" Erin ordered.

This time, Froakie was able to connect with Pound thanks to the added speed of Quick Attack, but that meant he was hit with the full force of the Pin Missile barrage. Froakie cried out as he was flung back by the force of the attack, and he hit the ground in front of where Damon stood rather hard.

"Jolteon, use Thunder Shock!" Erin ordered.

The Electric-type was able to shake off the attack first and fired off another bolt of lightning, striking Froakie as he stood. The Bubble Frog cried out in pain as he was electrocuted. Damon could feel and hear the static in the air from the attack. Thankfully, Froakie using Pound beforehand changed his typing to Normal, and kept the Thunder Shock on neutral territory. Froakie was still breathing hard as the attack ended. He dropped to a knee and wiped at his mouth.

"Froakie… we can still do this," Damon assured his Pokémon.

"It's amazing that Froakie is still standing after taking Thunder Shock head-on," Erin commented.

"We have our tricks, Erin," Damon told her, "Froakie's Ability is quite helpful. Use Quick Attack!"

"Thunder Shock!" Erin ordered.

Froakie launched himself across the battlefield just as Jolteon fired another bolt of lightning at him. Froakie had to contort himself around the attack in order to avoid it and scrambled with all four of his limbs to keep his momentum going. Froakie then slammed into Jolteon hard, pushing the Lightning Pokémon back.

"Double Kick!" Erin ordered.

"Shit," Damon muttered.

Jolteon spun around and thrust both of his back feet into Froakie's face. The Bubble Frog cried out as the super effective attack sent him flying back to Damon. He hit the ground, bounced, and hit the ground again before coming to a stop and going limp. The referee ran over to check on Froakie's condition, waiting to see if the battle could be called.

"Froakie! I know you can still fight! I believe in you, Froakie!" Damon called out to his Pokémon, "Froakie!"

A bright glow erupted from Froakie's body as he slowly stood up. He started growing in front of everyone and then the glowing ceased to reveal Froakie had just evolved.

"This is amazing ladies and gentlemen! Froakie just evolved into Frogadier!" Duke announced.

"F-Frogadier?" Damon questioned, scanning the new Pokémon with his Pokédex.

"Frogadier, the Bubble Frog Pokémon. It can throw bubble-covered pebbles with precise control, hitting empty cans up to a hundred feet away," his Pokédex stated.

Frogadier's Shiny state was now more apparent as his skin was a lighter blue except around his hands, feet, and head where it was a darker blue than normal Frogadier were. Frogadier croaked and he created an energy blade with his hands as if he were unsheathing a sword.

"Frogadier has learned Cut," Damon's Pokédex revealed.

"Awesome," he responded, "Go Frogadier!"

Frogadier dashed forward with the energy blade in his hands as Erin regained her senses from being stunned by the sudden evolution.

"Use Pin Missile, Jolteon!" she called out.

Another volley of yellow needles was fired off at the oncoming Frogadier, but his increased swiftness was put on display as he blocked, deflected, and dodged the entirety of Jolteon's Pin Missile.

"Thunder Shock!" Erin cried out desperately.

Jolteon exploded with electricity directed at Frogadier, but the Bubble Frog used his energy sword to absorb the attack. He was now on Jolteon and slashed the Electric-type with the Thunder Shock-infused Cut. Jolteon cried out and was thrown over to where Erin stood. The Lightning Pokémon struggled to stand. Damon did not hear the referee call the battle, so he knew he still needed to attack.

"Frogadier, finish this with Water Pulse!" Damon called out.

Frogadier jumped up and formed two balls of water in either hand. With a spin, he launched them down onto Jolteon as the Electric-type finally stood.

"Thunder…!" Erin called out, but was cut off by the Water Pulse hitting her Pokémon.

She watched helplessly as Jolteon was bombarded by pulsating blasts. When he was finally released from the attack, he was knocked out.

"Jolteon is unable to battle; therefore, the winner is Damon Pierce!" the referee announced.

"That's it, ladies and gentlemen! We have our winner! Damon Pierce is the winner of this year's Battle Chateau Tournament!" Duke shouted from the stands.

Damon fell onto his rear and winced in pain from the rough landing. He was mentally exhausted from the entire day. Being pushed into a river, almost drowning, and four tough Pokémon battles battered him to a state of exhaustion. He could not wait until he could collapse onto his bed tonight.

Erin frowned over her defeat and returned Jolteon to his Pokéball. She looked over across the battlefield to where Damon lay. Frogadier had come to his Trainer's side and enjoyed some head pats. Erin took a breath and smiled before approaching Damon. He heard her approach and quickly returned to his feet.

"That was a great battle," he told her.

"It was. It really was," Erin responded, "Congratulations, Damon. You earned this win."

"Thanks. It might not go in my favor the next time we battle," he replied.

Duke then hurried over to Damon with a literal treasure chest in his arms.

"Congratulations, Mr. Pierce. You are our winner, and here is your prize," he revealed.

He extended the treasure chest out to Damon and Erin told him what was going on. Damon took the chest and opened it, revealing the check for a hundred thousand Pokédollars, and the mystery gift.

"What is it?" Damon asked.

"It's the check for the cash prize and a… oh my Arceus, it's an Egg!" Erin revealed.

"Yes. The Pokémon Daycare down the street are full of Breeders and they provided this Egg for our tournament this year. Please do accept it, Damon," Duke explained.

"Of course! I wonder what Pokémon it will be?" he responded.

"Only time will tell," Erin stated.

"Speaking of time," Duke interjected, holding the microphone to his lips, "Ladies and gentlemen… one last celebration for this year's Battle Chateau Tournament will be happening soon. Now that it's nighttime, we can fully appreciate a fireworks show! Please go to your room's balconies to enjoy!"

Damon really did not care about a fireworks show he could not see, but he knew Savannah would enjoy it. He, Savannah, Tyrell, Spectra, and Erin all met up in the lobby. They returned to their respective rooms to prepare for the fireworks show. Damon set the Egg incubator down on the bed and ran his hand across the cool surface.

"It's so cool that you won an Egg," Savannah commented.

"Yeah…," Damon responded, still stunned by everything that had happened.

He won a prestigious tournament, Froakie evolved into Frogadier, and he now had an Egg that could hatch into Arceus knows what. It was all very exciting for Damon. Savannah sat beside him on the bed and started rubbing his shoulders.

"Y'know… I kinda feel bad you won't be able to enjoy the fireworks with me," she told him.

"It's okay," Damon responded.

He enjoyed her massaging his shoulders. Almost drowning left him kind of sore. Damon felt her breasts press up against his back and the scent of Pecha Berry shampoo filled his nose as Savannah continued massaging his shoulders.

"We could… make our own fireworks to make up for it," Savannah suggested.

Her hands moved from Damon's shoulders and rubbed down the front of his body. He perked up as he quickly deduced what she meant by her suggestion. Damon cleared his throat and moved the Egg incubator to the relative safety of the floor. Savannah giggled as she found herself on her back and Damon now on top of her. They kissed passionately just as the firework show began outside.

Tyrell watched the show from his balcony, but quickly became bored with the display. It was nice, but it failed to compare to a Pokémon battle. He closed the sliding door to dull out the noise of the fireworks and sat on the end of his bed. Tyrell was a little disappointed in losing so early in the competition. He felt he could have done much better; be much better, than he has been recently. He started thinking about his support system, or lack thereof. Yeah, he had Damon and Savannah, and they were great, but he still felt alone more times than not.

He took out his Holo Caster and stared at the device for a moment. He remembered back to his last conversation with his father after defeating the Santalune City Gym Leader. It felt like forever ago. He never even called him back to tell him off for how he spoke to him. Tyrell wondered if his father even cared what he thought about him.

"Damn it," he grumbled, throwing his Holo Caster over his shoulder onto the bed, "Damn it all."

There was a knock on his door, so Tyrell stood up and approached it. He looked out the peephole and then recoiled a bit in surprise. Tyrell opened the door to reveal Erin, looking unsure as to why she was there as well.

"What's up?" Tyrell asked.

"I… I'm not sure. I was watching the fireworks, but they were a little lackluster compared to… everything else," she responded.

"I felt the same way," Tyrell revealed, "You okay?"

"Yeah… I'm just a little disappointed that I wasn't able to win the whole thing," Erin admitted, "Not that Damon didn't deserve it, or that I'm mad he beat me!"

"I get ya. I'm kinda dealing with the same emotion," Tyrell responded, "It's a lot of disappointment in yourself."

He shrugged his shoulders casually and looked away. Erin studied him for a moment and then tapped his shoulder to bring Tyrell's attention back to her.

"Do you wanna travel together?" she asked, "I mean… I know you're already traveling with Damon, Savannah, and Spectra, but… err… I don't know what I'm saying. Just ignore me."

Erin tried to hurry away, but Tyrell reached out, and grabbed her by the shoulder. He spun her back around and her hazel eyes widened in shock from this.

"Yeah. I think traveling together with you would be great," Tyrell told her.


	21. The Blind Leading the Blind

The following morning, Damon sat in the lobby of the Battle Chateau with the Egg on his lap. His Pokémon devoured their breakfast and he was soon joined by Savannah and Spectra.

"Morning," he greeted them both.

Savannah sat beside Damon, admiring the Egg on his lap while Spectra bent forward to get a better look at it. Savannah immediately noticed her low-cut top and the ample amount of cleavage she was showing off.

"Can't you put those things away?" she asked.

"Never. The ladies need to breathe, Red. I can't smother them like you smother yours," Spectra responded.

"I don't smother then. I just have class," Savannah countered, turning her nose up at the white-haired woman.

"I'm shocked that with how much you two bicker that _you're _not the ones in a relationship," Damon teased.

Savannah smacked his shoulder while Spectra chuckled into her hand, standing straight. Tyrell and Erin then approached the trio. The former seemed unsure and cleared his throat to gain everyone's undivided attention.

"Hey guys," he greeted them, "I, uh… I got something to tell you."

"What is it, Ty?" Damon asked.

"I'm… I mean, _we're_. We're gonna be traveling together. Erin and I. Together," Tyrell revealed.

"Heh… this is interesting," Spectra commented, sauntering over to where Erin and Tyrell stood, "Blink twice if he's keeping you against your will."

"Funny," Tyrell responded, rolling his eyes.

Savannah stood up and smiled at the two.

"We're gonna miss you, Tyrell," she told him, opening her arms.

Tyrell took the invitation and hugged Savannah. He fought the urge to comment on the feeling of her breasts being pushed against him. Instead, he silently savored the sensation and Savannah eventually pulled away. Damon stood up, setting the Egg back down on the couch he was sitting on.

"We're sure to meet up again," Damon stated.

"Of course, man. I am your fiercest rival after all," Tyrell responded.

Damon smiled and then extended his hand out to Tyrell. He shook it and grinned. Spectra then draped her arm over Erin's shoulder and grinned toothily at her.

"Let me know if he starts being a jerk to you and I'll kick him in the Oran Berries," Spectra told her.

"Oh, don't worry. Tyrell won't be a jerk to me," Erin assured.

"Oh, honey… he's a man," Spectra countered, "They're all jerks."

"Hey!" Damon and Tyrell protested in unison.

The women in the group all shared a laugh and then they were gone. Just like that. Tyrell and Erin headed off toward Cyllage City. Just. Like. That. Damon sat back down, returning the Egg to his lap, and sighed heavily.

"They're gonna wind up fucking," Spectra declared, "Just watch."

"Ew… don't put that image in my head," Savannah responded.

"Damn it… how am I the only one not getting laid now?" Spectra asked, "You two need to get your shit together pronto!"

Several random nobodies looked their way at Spectra's outburst. Savannah blushed in embarrassment and hid her face from the onlookers. Damon sighed in defeat and shook his head while Spectra grinned like the madwoman she was.

It was soon time for Damon and company to leave the Battle Chateau themselves. Savannah helped him set the Egg incubator safely in his pack and Damon easily shouldered the weight. He gripped onto the handle of his cane and took in a deep breath. Onward.

Rivière Walk continued stretching on ahead of the trio as they trekked parallel to the river Damon almost drowned in. He listened to the current splash against the occasional rock and the wind gently blow through the tall grass on either side of the dirt road. It was peaceful. Damon enjoyed the silence.

Spectra suddenly popped a bubble of Sitrus Berry gum and loudly smacked it next to Damon. All he could now hear was Spectra chewing her gum. She blew another bubble and popped it.

"So how long til we get to the next town?" Spectra asked.

"We have to get through Connecting Cave and traverse the first part of the Muraille Coast," Savannah revealed, "It should take about… a day or two."

"We'll get there when we get there. We bought another tent in Camphrier Town, so we can camp out if we have to," Damon added.

"Yes, but I've finally slept on a bed after Arceus knows how long, and I don't wanna go without ever again," Spectra responded.

Damon's brow furrowed as he processed Spectra's response.

"How long have you been… wandering around Kalos?" he asked.

"Four or five years… give or take," Spectra responded, avoiding Savannah's concerned gaze.

She cleared her throat and marched off ahead of them. They drew nearer to a looming mountain that separated the mainland Kalos Region from the western coastline. A cave system, brilliantly dubbed Connecting Cave, connected the two areas. Spectra kept far enough ahead of Damon and Savannah for the latter two to feel comfortable enough to question her earlier response.

"We need to find out more about her," Savannah stated, "We know nothing about her parents, her childhood… why she was essentially homeless for half a decade."

"We can't force an explanation from her," Damon responded.

"I know, but…," Savannah grumbled.

"Echo!" Spectra's echoing voice cut her off.

Savannah looked on ahead and saw the opening to Connecting Cave. Spectra stood in the mouth and listened to her echoing voice with an amused gleam in her eye. She then looked back over her shoulder at Damon and Savannah.

"Maybe there's a band of cannibals living in there," she jokingly suggested.

"Why would you say that?" Savannah asked.

"Because you're one fine ass meal, Red," Spectra responded.

"Amen," Damon found himself compelled to agree much to Savannah's chagrin.

"I feel so objectified around you two," she grumbled, storming off ahead into Connecting Cave.

"Hey, I'm just trying to get you to objectify me back," Spectra explained her behavior with a nonchalant shrug.

She and Damon entered Connecting Cave as well. It was definitely dark and hard to see. The further they journeyed into the cave, the darker it became. Savannah eventually stopped and used the light of her Holo Caster in an attempt to see where she was going, but it proved to be futile.

"I can't see where I'm going," she told Damon and Spectra.

"Where have I heard that before?" Damon asked jokingly.

"Bite me," Savannah retorted.

"Where?" Spectra asked.

"Not you!" Savannah snapped, voice echoing through the darkness.

Someone then ran into Savannah's back and she stumbled forward a bit only to be stopped by the person's arms snaking around her upper torso.

"Watch it, Damon," she growled.

The hands wrapped around her front suddenly started groping her breasts. Savannah flailed her arms out, squirming away from Spectra and her hands. Savannah wanted to protest being grabbed by the devious woman, but she knew that was what she wanted her to do, so she returned to the matter at hand.

"What do we do now that we can't see in front of our own noses?" Savannah asked as she hugged herself.

"Follow the guy who's had to deal with this problem the longest?" Spectra suggested.

"I mean… it's not a terrible idea. I can sweep the ground in front of us for obstacles until we find the way out," Damon responded.

"Okay, we'll link hands and have Damon lead the way out," Savannah determined.

"Heh… it feels nice to be useful for once," Damon said as Savannah grabbed his hand.

Spectra grabbed Savannah's hand and Damon started leading the two women through the darkness. He swept his cane back and forth to detect anything that could impede the trek through Connecting Cave. He bumped a large rock with his cane, so he relayed the information to Savannah and Spectra before guiding them past it. It felt ironic that they were being guided by a blind man, but soon enough, the two women saw daylight piercing through the exit of Connecting Cave.

With a sigh of relief, the trio exited out onto the Muraille Coast. The craggy cliffs overlooked a white-sand beach and blue ocean. The sun was beginning to set and it painted the blue sea with orange and yellow. It was truly a beautiful sight to behold.

"We should set up camp here," Damon stated, "I mean… if there's enough room. I can't exactly tell."

He chuckled dryly while receiving strange looks from Savannah and Spectra. The two women then looked around to confirm that the space outside of Connecting Cave would be good enough for them to set up camp there. When this was determined, the trio divided up the tasks needed to set up camp. Savannah made the campfire, Spectra pitched the tents, and Damon fed the Pokémon. After those three essentials were completed, Savannah made dinner for the group while Damon and Spectra rested their feet. Damon had the Egg on his lap and was rubbing the cool surface of the incubator's glass.

"What Pokémon do you think it'll hatch into?" Spectra asked.

"Hmm… an Arceus. That way I can be blessed by the Creator and regain my sight," Damon joked.

"You're such a loser, I swear. How does Savannah have sex with you?" Spectra responded, shoving against his arm.

"Well, when two people love each other _very _much…," Damon replied before being cut off by a punch to the shoulder.

The two shared a laugh and Spectra leaned back in her seat. She stared up at the twilight sky and smiled to herself. She really was beginning to feel comfortable around Damon and Savannah. It was nice to actually have friends she felt she could count on.

"Hey," Damon's nervous voice broke her from her thoughts, "We've been traveling with each other for about a week now, and… well… I don't know all that much about you."

"There ain't much to know," Spectra responded, feeling uneasy.

"Oh come now. What was your childhood like? Any siblings? Why'd you decide to live on the streets?" Damon questioned.

"I didn't decide," Spectra grumbled, standing up.

She stalked off in a huff and Savannah stepped away from the stew she was cooking to question this reaction.

"What'd you say?" she asked Damon.

"I asked about her upbringing. It didn't go well as I expected," he responded, standing up as well.

He followed the memory of Spectra's departing footsteps and found her near the edge of the cliff, looking out at the ocean. There was a breeze briskly blowing past her.

"Hey," Damon's nervous voice broke her from her thoughts again.

Spectra sighed and turned on him with a frustrated look. She planted her hands on her hips and she formulated a clever string of insults to chuck into Damon's face, but the concern in his face rendered her mute.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, "I was simply curious and wanted to get to know you better."

"Yeah, well… y'know what they say about curiosity killing the Meowth," Spectra grumbled.

"But satisfaction brought it back," Damon countered.

"Trust me, dude. There's nothing satisfying about my childhood. I'm on the street because it was utter and complete Tauros shit. I'd like to leave it at that," Spectra responded.

"Well… you definitely sound like you need to talk to _someone _about it," Damon stated.

"No. I don't. Drop it, or I'll drop you over this cliff," Spectra growled.

"My Mom died giving birth to me," Damon revealed, "I never knew a damn thing about her, but… I miss her."

Spectra did not respond as Damon took a moment to collect his thoughts. He felt the area around him with his cane and took a seat on the ground in front of Spectra. She turned completely and sat down facing Damon as well.

"It's weird to miss someone you never met," Damon resumed, "My Dad told me a little bit about her every now and again, but I could tell that talking about her hurt him, so I tried my best to avoid the subject."

"My Mom's dead, too," Spectra revealed.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Damon told her.

"Hit Dad hard. He hit the bottle harder. He… he hit me the hardest," Spectra continued despite everything telling her to keep quiet.

"He… abused you?" Damon asked.

"He scarred me… emotionally and… and…," Spectra corrected.

"Dinner's ready!" an oblivious Savannah called out, rendering Spectra silent.

She took this as an opportunity to leave Damon near the edge of the cliff. He listened to her footsteps depart further and further before he too stood up and returned to camp. Spectra's revelation was fresh in his mind as he sat beside Savannah. She handed over a bowl of stew and began eating her own.

That night, Damon lay in the tent beside Savannah. It was a warmer than usual night, so he was shirtless. Savannah had just put on one of his old t-shirts she often used for a pajama top and drew her knees up to her chest.

"What did you and Spectra talk about?" she asked Damon.

"I apologized to her for overstepping and…," he responded before pausing, "That's it."

"Really?" Savannah asked.

"Yep. She'll tell us more about herself when she feels comfortable enough to do so. We can't force her to tell us her life story," Damon said.

"Okay," Savannah relented, "Well, good night."

"Night," Damon responded, turning onto his side.

Savannah stared him down for a lengthy amount of time before laying down beside him. She knew he was lying, or just withholding the whole truth, but she knew she had to trust his decision not to tell her what Spectra had told him. Damon lay there, still thinking of what Spectra had revealed to him.

In the neighboring tent, Spectra lay there with her top lifted up to the bottom of her breasts. She was trailing a finger across the scarred lines trailing across her entire stomach. There were tears building up in her eyes. Sparx watched her Trainer fight back these tears and slowly inched over. She licked Spectra's elbow to get her attention and the white-haired woman choked back a sob.

"I know, Sparx… I gotta be strong. I gotta be stronger than the shit that motherfucker put me through," she stated.


	22. I Believe I Can Fly

Savannah couldn't sleep and tossed and turned the entire night. She was shocked to discover that this aforementioned tossing and turning had failed to wake Damon up a bit. He snored beside her without a care in the world. Savannah loathed him for this. She wanted to wake him up right then and there to share in her suffering, but she decided to be the bigger woman in the scenario.

She crawled out of her tent and dusted herself off. The moon was full and the stars were plenty. She could hear the waves crashing against the beach below her. It was nice. Tranquil.

"Couldn't sleep?" Spectra asked, making Savannah jump around to face her.

"Sweet baby Mew… you scared the hell out of me," the redhead responded.

"I can tell," Spectra remarked, "Your tits are still bouncing from you spinning around so fast."

"Ugh… could you not comment on my tits?" Savannah asked, crossing her arms over her chest in a feeble attempt at hiding them from Spectra's view.

Spectra sauntered over to Savannah and eyed her up and down. Savannah surprisingly was not becoming uncomfortable in her lecherous gaze.

"So how much longer are you going to tell yourself you don't want me to fuck your brains out?" she asked.

"Not anymore," Savannah responded, dropping her arms.

She pulled Spectra in for a steamy kiss under the moonlight. Their breasts mashed up together. Spectra immediately took control of the situation and her hand found its place between Savannah's legs. A lustful gasp filled the night air and Savannah was slowly being lowered onto the ground. Spectra straddled her lap and their lips separated from one another. There was a trail of saliva between them that eventually separated as well. Spectra descended once more, her entire body overpowering Savannah's senses. She writhed in pleasure beneath her.

"Savannah?" Damon's voice broke her from her erotic dream.

Savannah's eyes shot open and she shot up to a seated position with a yelp. Damon was sitting up beside her, looking concerned. Savannah looked around and turned as red as her hair.

"What happened?" she asked.

"You tell me. You were whimpering in your sleep. Were you having a nightmare?" Damon responded.

Savannah somehow turned even redder than usual as her dream came back to her conscious. She really had a sexy dream about Spectra and Damon heard her "whimpering" in her sleep.

"I, uh… yeah, sure… bad dream," Savannah lied.

She then realized she was a tad bit wet under the covers and turned _even _redder. Savannah lay back in dismay and silently cursed herself. Damon felt around the tent for his cane and unfolded it to its erect form. He crawled out of the tent and took in a breath of the salty air. Savannah hurried to change out of her moist pajamas and took a couple calming breaths before joining Damon outside of the tent. It was just a stupid dream. She did _not _want to have sex with Spectra. She was not against the LGBT community, but that didn't mean she was a member. Right? Savannah shook her head and calmed herself with some more deep breathing.

"Morning, lover," Spectra's sultry voice breathed into her ear.

Savannah screamed in fright and jumped away from the confused white-haired woman. Spectra blinked in surprise at Savannah's reaction and looked over at Damon.

"She's a bit on edge this morning. She had a bad dream," he explained.

"Aw, my poor Little Red," Spectra cooed, "Come to Mama Spectra for a hug."

"No thank you. I'm fine," Savannah assured, "I just need to… gather my senses is all."

"I'll feed the Pokémon," Damon offered.

"I'll tear down the tents," Spectra added.

Savannah sighed and sent out her four Pokémon from their Pokéballs. Damon sent out his four as well and Spectra added Sparx to the mix. As Damon prepared breakfast for the Pokémon, Savannah wandered about the campsite. Spectra watched her curiously.

Savannah stood near the edge of the cliffs overlooking the Muraille Coast. She needed to get the thought of Spectra and how good that dream felt out of her head now. She rolled her shoulders and looked up at the early morning sky. The sun had yet to rise above the mountain behind them, so it was rather dark and cool in its shadow, but it was still light enough to obviously not be nighttime anymore.

Savannah heard rustling behind her, so she turned expecting Damon or Spectra, but saw a Pokémon trotting over to her instead. Savannah was unsure if the wild Pokémon was going to attack her or not, so she was careful in how quickly she brought out her Pokédex. She scanned the Pokémon with the device.

"Bagon, the Rock Head Pokémon. Dreaming of one day flying, it practices by leaping off cliffs every day," her Pokédex stated.

Bagon continued trotting over to the cliff's edge where Savannah was brooding. It ignored her entirely as it reached the edge of the cliff.

"What you doing, little one?" Savannah asked.

The Bagon then leapt off the edge of the cliff, closing his eyes, and spreading his stubby arms out wide as if they were wings. Savannah screamed as the Bagon fell like a sack of rocks straight off the edge of the cliff. She fought every urge inside of her to jump off after him. Savannah heard the impact down below and forced herself to look over the edge. Nearly a hundred feet below, Bagon sat in the center of a wide crater his landing had created in the beach.

"Savannah, what happened?" Damon asked as he and Spectra ran to her with the Pokémon all in tow.

"I… a… a wild Bagon just jumped off the cliff," Savannah stammered, eyes still opened wide from what she had witnessed.

"Is it okay?" Damon asked.

Savannah and Spectra looked over the cliff and saw the Bagon dust himself off before staring back up at them.

"I think so," Spectra answered.

"He scared the hell out of me," Savannah gasped, clutching her chest.

Bagon immediately began the trek back up to the top of the cliff, following a trail from the beach. The Dragon-type Pokémon watched the three Trainers curiously.

"Why'd you jump off the cliff ya dope!?" Savannah angrily questioned, shaking her fist at the Rock Head Pokémon.

Bagon immediately took her aggressive stance as a challenge and launched himself head-first at Savannah. Spectra grabbed her around the waist and pulled her out of the way. In the process, the two women fell to the dirt with Savannah on top of Spectra. The redhead blinked her green eyes down at the worried Spectra before shoving herself back to her feet.

"You're welcome!" Spectra snarled.

Bagon landed and wheeled to face Savannah down once more. Fennekin, Flabébé, Pancham, and Squirtle all ran to her defense. Bagon did not care that he was outnumbered; however and quickly launched an Ember at his foes.

"Water Gun, Squirtle!" Savannah called out.

The Water-type immediately extinguished the Ember with ease. Bagon growled as ferociously as the little, stubby-armed dragon could, and charged once more.

"Fairy Wind!" Savannah called out.

Flabébé floated in and exhaled a pink wind that stopped Bagon in his tracks before sending him flying backwards. He landed on his back and immediately started throwing a tantrum on the ground. Savannah was taken aback by the Dragon-type's reaction. Her Pokémon looked up at her, wondering if the battle was going to continue. Savannah stepped forward and knelt down before the crying Dragon-type.

"I didn't mean to upset you, Bagon," Savannah told him, "You just scared me when you jumped off the cliff. If I was thirty years older, I would've probably had a heart attack."

Bagon stopped crying and looked up at her, teary-eyed, and sniffled a little bit.

"Do you want an Oran Berry?" Savannah asked.

Bagon nodded, sniffling again, and hungrily devoured the offered Oran Berry. Savannah smiled and was joined by her Pokémon. Damon held onto his cane and smirked to himself. Spectra picked herself up off the ground and dusted herself off.

"She sure is something special," Spectra commented.

"Yeah… she is," Damon agreed.

Savannah then took out a Pokéball from her belt and bopped Bagon on his rocky skull. The device burst open and absorbed the Dragon-type's energy into itself. The Pokéball wriggled around in Savannah's hand before going completely still.

"I just caught a… Bagon!" Savannah exclaimed, throwing up the peace sign while winking toward no one in particular.

"What're you doing?" Spectra asked.

"Nothing!" Savannah responded awkwardly, "Just felt right to say it is all."

The camp was officially torn down, the Pokémon sans Sparx were put in their Pokéballs, and the trio began the descent down toward the next stop before Cyllage Town. Damon was a tad bit nervous during the trek as the pathway got pretty narrow at certain points.

"Hey, Red," Spectra spoke up, "You gonna tell me what your problem with me is today, or am I supposed to guess?"

"Problem?" Savannah asked, "I don't have any problems."

"I have noticed that you've been a bit more hostile than usual toward Spectra," Damon added in.

"Yeah! Even he's seen you've been bitchier than usual and he can't even see," Spectra stated.

"You two are just imagining things," Savannah responded, "I had a nightmare. That's it."

"Then why're you taking it out on me?" Spectra asked, "Was your "nightmare" a sexy dream about me or something?"

Silence. Savannah averted her gaze. Spectra stopped and her eyes widened with realization and then widened even more with glee.

"Oh… my… _Arceus_!" she exclaimed.

"Wait… you serious, Savannah?" Damon asked.

"Ugh… could we just drop it?" she pleaded.

"Fuck no! You had a wet dream about _me_!" Spectra exclaimed before laughing hysterically.

She doubled over, holding onto her stomach, and Savannah turned red. Damon looked lost as he tried to bring himself to understand this sudden turn in events.

"Damon, let me be the first to say my bad. I know I'm a fine ass bitch, but I wasn't expecting to be in your girl's dreams," Spectra told him.

"Kill me," Savannah begged.

"Tell me, Red. Was I a good lay?" Spectra asked, poking her ribs.

Savannah jumped away and glared at the white-haired woman. Spectra grinned ear-to-ear and then resumed laughing at Savannah's expense. Savannah turned to Damon and frowned.

"It doesn't mean anything, Damon," she assured him.

"I know," he responded, "We've gotten close to Spectra, and she's quite… something, so it'd be hard not to dream of her. Doesn't mean you have feelings for her or you'll leave me for her."

"Wanna bet?" Spectra whispered into his ear.

Damon was unfazed by her antics even as she purposefully rubbed her chest against his torso. He cleared his throat and used his cane to put space between them.

"It's no big deal," he stated, "Let's resume walking before it gets too late and we're forced to camp again."

With that, he and Savannah journeyed off down the winding cliff side trail. Spectra watched them in disbelief, but she was not going to let this slide, so she rushed off after them. She threw an arm around Savannah's shoulders and grinned at her glare.

"I'm flattered, Red. Swing by if you ever want me to make your dreams come true," she told her, "I'm positive Damon wouldn't mind."

"Of course he would!" Savannah barked.

"Eh," Damon's casual response and shrug devastated Savannah, but enthralled Spectra.

"Ha! Girl-on-girl even gets off the blind guy!" Spectra exclaimed.

"I hate _everything_," Savannah grumbled.

Someone suddenly swooped over their heads, causing two of the trio to duck instinctively. Damon stopped and followed the direction the whoosh went in. There was a male Trainer in a form-fitting wingsuit who landed on a nearby boulder.

"Watch it, bub! You almost took my pretty head off!" Spectra snapped, shaking her fist at him.

"Apologies, chérie. I am Jacques Delacour and I challenge whichever one of you fine individuals to a Sky Battle," the Trainer responded.

"Sky Battle?" Damon asked.

"Cherie?" Spectra asked, "Listen here you mustache twirling son of a…"

Savannah clamped a hand over Spectra's mouth, muffling the remaining bit of her profane response. Savannah then removed her hand and gave Spectra a disgusted look.

"Did you just lick my hand?" she asked.

"Maybe," Spectra responded, batting her eyelashes.

"I accept your challenge, but please enlighten me on what exactly a Sky Battle is," Damon stated.

"Ah, it is simple. We may only use Pokémon who are Flying-type or have the Ability Levitate," Jacques explained, "Do you have any Pokémon who meet this criteria?"

"I do," Damon responded as he plucked a Pokéball from his belt, "Fletchling… come on out!"

He tossed the Pokéball up into the air and it burst open to release the Tiny Robin Pokémon. Fletchling flew down to Damon's shoulders and perched himself there.

"Excellent! Let us begin!" Jacques exclaimed, "I choose you Pidgeotto!"

Damon aimed his Pokédex ahead of himself and scanned his opponent's Pokémon with it.

"Pidgeotto, the Bird Pokémon. Very protective of its sprawling territorial area, this Pokémon will fiercely peck at any intruder," his Pokédex stated.

"Be careful, Damon. Pidgeotto is an evolved Pokémon. It means he's tough," Savannah warned.

"Have faith, Red," Spectra responded, "Kick Jockstrap's ass, Damon!"

"Fletchling, use Quick Attack!" Damon called out.

Fletchling dashed in with blinding speed, leaving only a trail of energy in his wake.

"Respond with Gust!" Jacques countered.

Pidgeotto flapped his wings, whipping up a tornado of dirt from the mountainside that battered against Fletchling's frame, and halted his advance. Fletchling flew from the Gust and shook himself off.

"Now use Wing Attack!" Jacques called out, going on the offensive.

"Dodge it!" Damon shouted.

Pidgeotto flew in, attempting to slam his wing into Fletchling, but the smaller Pokémon easily spun past it.

"Now use Peck!" Damon ordered.

Fletchling turned on a dime and dove straight into the middle of Pidgeotto's back, delivering a barrage of pecks along the Bird Pokémon's body. Pidgeotto cried out, but shook Fletchling off.

"Air Cutter!" Jacques ordered.

Pidgeotto turned and folded his wings so fast that slices of air flew at Fletchling, hitting the Tiny Robin Pokémon hard. Fletchling cried out and fell to the dirt. He struggled to rise. Pidgeotto landed and planted his massive talons on top of the smaller Pokémon, pushing him further into the dirt.

"Fletchling! Break free!" Damon called out.

"End this with another, Air Cutter!" Jacques ordered.

"Fletchling!" Damon shouted.

Fletchling suddenly started glowing and then a burst of flame surrounded his body, burning Pidgeotto, and forcing the Bird Pokémon to back off. Fletchling grew and Damon could feel the heat emitting from his Pokémon from where he stood.

"Fletchling's evolving!" Savannah informed Damon.

He readied his Pokédex just as his newly evolved Pokémon broke free from the fire around him.

"Fletchinder, the Ember Pokémon. From its beak, it expels embers that set the tall grass on fire. Then it pounces on the bewildered prey that pop out of the grass," Damon's Pokédex stated.

"Awesome!" Damon cried out as Fletchinder sang beautifully.

The Fire-and-Flying-type then expelled a burst of fire from his beak at Pidgeotto, who hastily dodged the attack. Damon rolled his shoulders and smirked.

"Let's do this, Fletchinder! Use Quick Attack!" Damon called out.

Fletchinder burst forward, but it wasn't Quick Attack that he used. Flames erupted around his form and he slammed into Pidgeotto with blazing power and speed. Pidgeotto cried out and a surge of fire came over him. He was burned by the new attack Fletchinder hit him with.

"Fletchinder learned Flame Charge!" Spectra exclaimed.

"This keeps getting better and better," Damon stated, "Fletchinder! Let's win this! Use Flame Charge again!"

Fletchinder flew in even faster than the first time and hit Pidgeotto hard enough to send the Bird Pokémon into the face of the cliff. The Normal-and-Flying-type fell to the dirt and was unconscious.

"That's the end!" Spectra announced, "Pidgeotto is knocked out!"

"Woo! Go Damon!" Savannah added in with a cheer.

Jacques fell to his knees and cried out in dismay over his loss. He didn't say much as he returned Pidgeotto to his Pokéball, but he did pay Damon one thousand, one hundred Pokédollars for defeating him. Jacques then left the group and Fletchinder did his best to perch himself on Damon's shoulder, but his larger size made this fairly uncomfortable for him.

"Sorry, bud," he told the Ember Pokémon, "But it looks like you're no longer a shoulder Pokémon."

Fletchinder made an upset noise, so Damon returned him to his Pokéball before the Fire-and-Flying-type could make him feel any worse over the unfortunate side-effect of evolving.

"Onward to our next destination!" Spectra exclaimed, leading the way down the trail.

"I mean… I can't really blame you for having a sexy dream about her. There's something attractive about her personality," Damon told Savannah.

"Shut _up_," she told him, adding a shoulder punch to make her point.

Damon chuckled and trekked onward in the direction Spectra had run off in.


	23. The Case of the Missing Researcher

"Savannah and Spectra, kissing in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Damon in a baby carriage!" Spectra sang as she skipped down a staircase into Ambrette Town.

Ambrette Town was really only known for its aquarium until the discovery of rare Fossils in the nearby caves put it on the map. Savannah was becoming irritated with Spectra's continued jests, but Damon treated it only as a mild inconvenience.

"Why am I in the baby carriage?" Damon asked.

"Don't humor her," Savannah scolded him.

The trio entered the Ambrette Town Pokémon Center and Damon and Savannah both used their respective Trainer Cards to purchase a room for the night. The second room was of course going to be used by Spectra in secret. Damon and Savannah both felt like idiots for not figuring out this plan before in Camphrier Town. Good thing Tyrell was not with them to see this new arrangement.

"So what's there to do in Ambrette Town?" Spectra asked as she plopped down on the sofa next to Damon.

Their Pokémon were being restored by the nurses at the moment, so Damon, Savannah, and Spectra were waiting for them to be finished. The doors to the Pokémon Center opened and a middle-aged woman with a worried expression entered. She approached the nurse working behind the counter.

"H-Hello… has Ernie been through?" she asked the nurse.

"No Diane, I'm sorry," the nurse replied, "Is everything okay?"

"Oh, I'm sure it's nothing, but he told me he was going to Glittering Cave to look at a recent excavation. It was only supposed to be for an hour, but it's been _six_, and I'm starting to worry," Diane explained.

"I'll call you if I hear anything," the nurse assured the older woman.

Diane nodded and turned to leave the Pokémon Center. Damon, who overheard the entire exchange, suddenly stood up and cleared his throat to get Diane's attention.

"Where exactly is Glittering Cave?" he asked.

"Oh, it's um… east of the town just past Spikes Passage," Diane revealed.

"If you don't mind our help; we can go check on Ernie for you," Damon stated.

"Really?" Diane asked, becoming excited, "Thank you so much, young man!"

Diane left the Pokémon Center, feeling a bit better about her situation. Damon smiled to himself.

"What're you doing, dude?" Spectra asked, "We don't owe that old bag anything."

"We're just going to go check the place out," Damon responded.

The nurse then informed the group that their Pokémon were ready for pickup, so Damon and Savannah trekked off to collect their Pokémon. Spectra rolled her eyes at Damon's generosity. It made her feel a little sick to the stomach. Someone better get something out of this.

"Your Egg is nearly ready to hatch," the nurse informed Damon, "Do you wish to know what Pokémon it'll be?"

"You already know?" Damon asked.

The nurse confirmed this, so Damon thought over whether he would like to know what the Egg is going to hatch into or to keep it a surprise for when it does hatch.

"I… I'd like it to be a surprise," Damon responded.

"I respect that," the nurse told him.

Savannah helped him return the Egg incubator to his pack and Damon clipped his Pokéballs to his belt. Savannah did the same with hers and Sparx hurried over to Spectra's shoulder.

"So're we going to do this completely unnecessary chore or what?" she asked impatiently.

"Yikes, Spectra," Savannah responded in a mockingly surprised tone, "You mean you're not generous enough to do this little thing for someone in need? That's definitely unattractive in my opinion."

She even added a dramatic hand grasp over her heart as Spectra narrowed her eyes. She hated being guilt tripped. She hated it. She hated that it worked on her this well.

"You're lucky you're pretty," she told Savannah.

"I know," the redheaded beauty responded with a proud smirk.

"Let's get going," Damon told the women, leading the way out of the Pokémon Center.

The group left Ambrette Town and approached Spikes Passage. It was very rough terrain as it was only recently carved through by retired Rhyhorn racers. This required the group to stop and rent a Rhyhorn for them to cross. Damon took out his Pokédex and scanned the Rhyhorn before him.

"Rhyhorn, the Spikes Pokémon. Strong, but not too bright, this Pokémon can shatter even a skyscraper with its charging Tackles," his Pokédex stated.

"Okay… I can do this," Damon assured himself.

He felt the rough hide of the Rhyhorn nearest him and straddled the saddle on its back. The Spikes Pokémon grunted and immediately started trotting off across the rough terrain of Spikes Passage.

"Hold up, Damon!" Savannah called after him.

Damon resorted to simply holding on for dear life as the Rhyhorn trotted along ahead. Savannah and Spectra climbed onto the backs of their own Rhyhorn and pursued Damon. It was a bumpy ride made even more apparent by the anime jiggle physics occurring with Savannah and Spectra's breasts.

"Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy," Spectra commented the moment she caught sight of Savannah's chest.

"I wouldn't talk," the redhead responded, motioning toward Spectra's own bouncing boobs.

"Checking me out, Red? Ready for me to make your dream come true?" Spectra countered.

"Ugh," Savannah grumbled, rolling her eyes.

She tapped her feet against the sides of the Rhyhorn and made the Ground-and-Rock-type trot faster. Savannah caught up to Damon and noticed how he was holding on to the point that his knuckles were pale as a ghost.

"Relax, Damon," she told him.

"Kind of hard when your fate is put on the shoulders of one of the dumbest Pokémon to exist," he responded.

His Rhyhorn grunted in protest and started turning as best as its little legs could straight toward a large boulder it could have easily gone around.

"W-What's happening!?" Damon asked as his Rhyhorn picked up speed.

"Oh my Arceus… hold on, Damon!" Savannah called out to him.

His Rhyhorn charged straight through the boulder, pulverizing it to dust in a display of power to basically tell Damon not to comment on its intelligence. Damon was left screaming like a little girl by the time his Rhyhorn reached the entrance to Glittering Cave. He quickly dismounted the Spikes Pokémon, who grunted in response. Savannah and Spectra joined him as Damon found a boulder to rest against.

"Damn it… I should've peed before we left," Spectra grumbled.

"You okay, Damon?" Savannah asked.

"Yeah… just… need to… collect myself," he responded.

He took a breath and firmly planted his cane into the ground. Damon nodded at where he last heard Savannah's voice and the group embarked toward Glittering Cave.

The cave system featured long, winding, and narrow tunnels that split off into several dead ends. The walls were coated with a luminous moss that glowed emerald green and several large crystals sprouted from the earth.

"It's kinda beautiful," Savannah admitted.

"Where do we even begin looking for this guy?" Spectra asked.

"Pick a direction and keep going until we come across a dig site," Damon suggested.

"Ugh… I hate this charity crap," Spectra grumbled.

The group trekked through the tunnels of Glittering Cave with Spectra leading the way. She moved quickly, using Sparx to see if any of the forking tunnels were dead ends, and she hoped to get this over as quick as possible. Damon and Savannah followed her, keeping her in sight as best as Savannah could, and keeping her within earshot as best as Damon could.

"Slow down, Spectra," Savannah told her.

"Speed up, Savannah," Spectra's mocking voice echoed back from a way's away.

"I'm going to slap her," Savannah told Damon.

"Careful… she might like it," he responded.

"Found what looks like a dig site," Spectra told them from around a bend.

Damon and Savannah joined her in a part of Glittering Cave that opened up. There was obvious equipment lying around that one would use to excavate, so it was apparent to Spectra and Savannah that they were in the right place.

"Now where's this Ernest guy?" Savannah asked, looking around with her hands on her hips.

"Ernest!" Spectra shouted at the top of her lungs, using her hands to make her voice even louder.

The call out echoed throughout the entirety of Glittering Cave and the group fell silent to listen to any kind of response.

"Help!" someone called out from nearby.

Damon took off in the direction of the cry for help with Savannah and Spectra close behind. Damon found an older man lying on the ground. He looked beaten and bruised, and there were five masked men and a masked woman standing around him. Damon stopped when Savannah grabbed his shoulder.

"Who the hell are you guys?" Savannah asked.

"Take them out," one of the masked men ordered.

Spectra's eyes widened. She recognized this voice. The four masked men and lone masked woman took out Pokéballs and tossed them into the air. Damon had no time to aim his Pokédex, so he took out all four of his Pokémon, and threw them into the fray. Savannah took the Egg and ran off to the side as Spectra shook off her confusion over recognizing the voice of one of the masked men to join Damon in the fight.

"Krokorok, use Bite!" one of the masked men ordered his Pokémon.

"Water Pulse, Frogadier!" Damon countered.

"Astonish, Zubat!" another masked man shouted.

"Thunder Shock!" Spectra countered.

A Ground-and-Dark-type jumped at the group with a tooth-filled maw opened wide, but it received a ball of water straight down its throat. A Zubat tried flying in to defend its ally, but it was zapped out of the air by Sparx.

"Seviper, use Poison Tail!" the lone masked woman ordered.

"Block it, Honedge!" Damon called out.

A Poison-type Pokémon slithered over before lashing out with a glowing purple tail. Honedge swooped in to take the blow as the Steel-typing left the Poison-type attack ineffective.

"Croagunk, use Feint Attack!" another masked man ordered.

A Poison-and-Fighting-type then leapt in and punched Honedge away.

"Peck, Fletchinder!" Damon ordered.

The Fire-and-Flying-type swooped in and drilled his beak into Croagunk's chest, sending the Pokémon careening into the wall of the cave.

"Rollout, Whirlipede!" the final of the attacking masked individuals ordered.

A Bug-and-Poison-type rolled toward Fletchinder with murderous intent.

"Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip!" Damon ordered.

The Grass-and-Poison-type jumped in front of his ally and shot a pair of vines at the oncoming Whirlipede, catching it, and then tossing it back at the masked man commanding it.

"Sparx, use Thunder Wave!" Spectra shouted.

Sparx proceeded to paralyze the majority of the masked thieves and their Pokémon except for Krokorok, who was immune to the attack, but unconscious from Frogadier's Water Pulse, and the masked man whose voice she recognized. He sighed and shook his head in disappointment.

"Pathetic," he grumbled, "I must always do things myself… Go Noivern!"

A new Pokémon appeared before the group. Savannah used the battle to drag Ernest to safety.

"Boomburst!" the masked man ordered.

The Flying-and-Dragon-type exploded with a burst of sound that sent everyone flying back away from the exit. Damon's ears were left ringing and he was down two of his senses. The attack also sent cracks along the ceiling of Glittering Cave. The ceiling began collapsing between Damon's group and Ernest, and the masked individuals. Spectra stared at the last standing masked man as chunks of rock completely blocked her view of him.

"Damon? Damon!" Savannah shouted.

"I can't hear!" he shouted, "I can't see and I can't hear! What happened!? Are the Pokémon okay!? Are we okay!?"

Savannah looked around. All of the Pokémon, the Egg, and the four humans were okay aside from Ernest's beaten-up state and Damon being blind and temporarily deaf.

"What happened?" she asked the older man.

"I came here to check on the site when those masked hooligans jumped me," Ernest explained, "They wanted to steal the equipment and the Fossils already unearthed."

Spectra was uncharacteristically quiet. She finally placed the voice to who it was. Her fists tightened on either side of her body. She turned to Sparx.

"Use Iron Tail on those rocks," she ordered her Electric-type.

Sparx hesitated, unsure of how to approach the task without causing more damage.

"Do it!" Spectra shouted.

"Spectra, calm down. You're only to going to make things worse," Savannah told her.

She groaned in disappointment and turned toward the group. She stormed off the way they came with Sparx close behind. Savannah threw up her arms in frustration.

"Fine!" she called after Spectra, "I'll help the guys myself then!"

It took a little bit, but Savannah did help Damon and Ernest out of Glittering Cave. Spectra was sitting beside her Rhyhorn, her arms crossed over her chest. Sparx was staring at her Trainer in concern.

"What's your deal?" Savannah asked.

"Nothing," Spectra responded, "I'm just irritated with how shit went down in there."

"I can hear again," Damon suddenly revealed, "So what were those masked guys about?"

"Thieves," Savannah revealed in a summarized manner.

"Thank you so much for coming to my rescue," Ernest told the group, "Did my wife send you? Oh, she must be worried sick."

"I offered, actually. I overheard her asking a nurse at the Pokémon Center about whether you've come in or not," Damon responded, "And no problem. I'm just glad we decided to come investigate."

"Even if we did almost die in a cave in?" Spectra asked.

Damon quickly swatted her knee with his cane and smiled nonetheless. The group soon returned to Ambrette Town where Ernest reunited with Diane at the Pokémon Center.

"Thank you so much," Diane told them, "We will report those thieves to the police pronto."

"Good," Damon responded.

"Ahem… I have something for all your trouble," Ernest revealed.

"Oh, I don't need a reward or anything," Damon told him.

"Dude," Spectra groaned in dismay, "Just take the freaking reward."

"It's a Jaw Fossil that was unearthed in Glittering Cave," Earnest revealed, "I can restore it in the morning at my Lab if you'll accept it."

"Restore it?" Damon questioned.

"Yes. We have the technology to restore fossilized Pokémon back to life," Earnest revealed, "This Jaw Fossil will become the Pokémon known as Tyrunt. It's the least I can do after all you've done for my family and me."

"O-Okay," Damon responded.

Ernest handed over the Fossil and Damon accepted the reward. Ernest and Diane then left to recuperate at their home and inform the police of the thieves. Damon sighed in relief and smiled to himself as he put the Jaw Fossil in his pack.

"After this Egg hatches and the fossil is restored, I'll have a full Pokémon team," he revealed.

"I wanna know who those masked jerks were," Savannah commented.

"Just some lowlife punks," Spectra responded, "Don't worry your pretty head about them."

Hidden deep in the craggy confines of the Upper Muraille Coast, the masked thieves were recuperating after their battle with Damon's group. The theft was a failure thanks to their interruption and the masked thief who owned Noivern was taking it the hardest. He was sitting in his tent, seething in rage, before removing his mask. White, shoulder-length hair fell free and blue-green eyes glared fiercely. He took out a folded picture that revealed a much younger version of himself and Spectra standing side-by-side in front of their parents.

"What the fuck were you thinking, sister?" the man questioned as he continued glaring at Spectra.

That night, Spectra lay in bed thinking the same thing about her brother. She rolled onto her side and closed her eyes tightly before clutching her stomach in remembrance of how she received her scars.

"What the fuck, Argie?" she muttered, "Why're you showing yourself now of all times?"

Spectra sat up, and drew her knees to her chest. This was bad. He obviously saw her and recognized her. Was he going to pursue her? Were Damon and Savannah going to be in danger for their intrusion? Spectra swore under her breath and seethed in and out through her nose. Things just got a lot more difficult.


	24. Birth and Rebirth

The following morning, Damon woke with Savannah draped across his body. He lay there for a moment, savoring the silence, and their close proximity. Then there was a knock on the door that ruined the peacefulness and woke Savannah from her sleep.

"You two better not be fucking! I wanna get out of this dusty ass town ASAP, so wake up fuckers!" Spectra shouted from the other side of the door as she continued banging her fist against it.

"Ugh… I hate her," Savannah groaned.

"You're the one dreaming about her, so…," Damon responded.

"So?" Savannah's heated question cut him off.

"So you can hate her," he told her.

They joined Spectra out in the lobby of the Ambrette Town Pokémon Center. Despite her urgency to leave Ambrette Town, Spectra knew they had to make one stop at the Fossil Research Lab, so Damon could restore his Jaw Fossil into a Tyrunt. She wanted to get out of Ambrette Town as soon as possible and avoid the risk of her brother contacting her, or even worse… him setting his sights on Damon or Savannah.

At the Fossil Research Lab, Damon and company met up with Ernest. His bruises and scrapes from the abduction the other day were already beginning to fade and he seemed to be in better spirits.

"Hand me the Jaw Fossil," he told Damon.

The younger man nodded and dug into his pack for the fossil. He recognized its rocky surface and handed it over to Ernest. The researcher took the Fossil over to a strange machine and placed it onto a conveyor belt. He flipped a switch and the conveyor belt took the Jaw Fossil into the machine. A bright light illuminated from inside the machine. As this occurred, Damon's Egg started to glow in its incubator.

"Oh my Arceus," Savannah gasped, "Damon, your Egg is hatching!"

"What a wonderful moment!" Ernest exclaimed, "Birth and rebirth all occurring at once!"

Savannah helped Damon set his incubator down onto a nearby table and the latter didn't know which to focus his attention of more. He had his Pokédex at the ready. Excitement started building up inside of him. The Egg finished hatching just as the revived Tyrunt came out on the conveyor belt.

"Tyrunt, the Royal Heir Pokémon. This Pokémon was restored from a fossil. If something happens that it doesn't like, it throws a tantrum and runs wild," Damon's Pokédex stated after he scanned the Rock-and-Dragon-type Pokémon.

He then turned to where the Egg had hatched and scanned that Pokémon.

"Ralts, the Feeling Pokémon. If its horns capture the warm feelings of people or Pokémon, its body warms up slightly," Damon's Pokédex stated.

"Wow… I don't know what to say right now," Damon muttered under his breath.

He knelt down low to his new Pokémon's levels and smiled friendlily at them both.

"Hello Ralts… Tyrunt… I'm Damon, and I am your Trainer," he introduced himself.

Ralts shied away from Damon, hiding her blush, but Tyrunt trotted on over to sniff the human's outstretched hand. Then the Royal Heir Pokémon bit Damon's hand. He yelped, reeling back from the Rock-and-Dragon-type, and held his injured hand while biting back several swear words.

"Damon!" Savannah cried out.

Tyrunt tilted his head in confusion over the Trainer's reaction. Ralts seemed concerned over Damon and slowly approached him as he held his bleeding hand. The Psychic-and-Fairy-type gently laid her hands over his and Damon immediately felt at ease despite the injury.

"Why did Tyrunt bite him?" Savannah asked Ernest.

"He could've been greeting Damon," the researcher responded, "That is how his species interacts. He's also essentially a newborn, so he must not know his own strength."

"Tyrunt… you can't bite people that hard," Damon told the Royal Heir Pokémon, "You can seriously hurt someone."

Tyrunt tilted his head again, but nodded in understanding. Savannah took out some bandages after cleaning Damon's wound. She wrapped it up and he took a moment to flex his fingers.

"All better," Damon assured.

"There… Fossil restored and Egg hatched. Can we leave now?" Spectra asked.

A stomach growled and it became apparent that the group had gone without eating breakfast. Damon stood tall and firmly gripped his cane.

"Thank you, Ernest," he told the researcher.

"I owe all the thanks to you three. Arceus knows what would've come to me if you hadn't intervened," Ernest responded.

The trio left the lab, Tyrunt and Ralts following close behind. Damon felt something tug at his pant leg.

"Ralts? Is that you?" he asked as he stopped.

There was a quiet, confirming hum from the Psychic-and-Fairy-type Pokémon. Damon knelt down and offered a hand to her. Ralts gently lay both of her hands in Damon's and allowed him to lift her up onto his shoulder.

"Aw, that's adorable," Savannah cooed.

"Yes, yes. _Very _cute, but can we go _now_?" Spectra asked, becoming even more impatient.

"What's your hurry?" Savannah asked.

"No hurry. No rush. I just know how much Damon wants to get to Cyllage City, so he can fight the Gym Leader there," Spectra said.

"It's okay, Spectra," Damon assured her.

No, it isn't. Nothing is _fine_. Spectra shook her head and shifted around uncomfortably. Savannah noticed this and narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"Hey… I wanna go to the aquarium," Savannah stated.

"What?" Damon and Spectra asked.

"Yeah… it's one of the feature points of Ambrette Town, so I wanna check it out. If that's okay," Savannah explained.

Spectra wanted to slap her. She wanted to leave Ambrette Town as soon as she could. They _had _to leave Ambrette Town as soon as possible to avoid running into her brother again.

"I think that's a good idea," Damon stated, "We have plenty of time to get to Cyllage City, and I don't want to stop you guys from seeing the sights."

To Spectra's chagrin, the group went off to the Ambrette Aquarium. There was a sign outside of the building that Savannah stopped to read.

"Pokémon are allowed out of their Pokéballs so long as they weigh less than five hundred pounds and are no taller than seven feet," she read.

"Sweet, so all of our Pokémon can join us in the aquarium," Damon responded.

"Yeah… sweet," Spectra grumbled under her breath.

Damon sent all of his Pokémon out to join in on the trek through the aquarium. He carefully lowered Ralts from his shoulder to introduce her and Tyrunt to the others, but the Feeling Pokémon immediately reacted in a shy manner and hid her face in Damon,

"Aw, she's a little bit shy," Savannah cooed.

Damon knelt down and gently pet Ralts's head. The Psychic-and-Fairy-type looked up at him with her scarlet red eyes.

"It's okay. They're all friendly," Damon assured her.

Ralts quietly turned around and was immediately approached by Bulbasaur. The Grass-and-Poison-type slowly extended a vine in greeting to the Feeling Pokémon, but Ralts took it as an attack, and scrambled between Damon's legs to hide behind him. Bulbasaur was taken aback and looked at the other Pokémon in confusion. He didn't mean to scare her and immediately retracted his vine.

Tyrunt then approached the Seed Pokémon, who seemed unsure of the Rock-and-Dragon-type upon seeing his fearsome teeth. Tyrunt opened his jaws and attempted to gnaw on Bulbasaur's head in a form of greeting, but Bulbasaur reacted by using Vine Whip to send the Royal Heir Pokémon sliding backwards. Tyrunt tilted his head while Bulbasaur stared at him with wide eyes.

"What just happened?" Damon asked, confused by the commotion.

"Ralts is hiding behind you and Tyrunt tried to hug Bulbasaur with his mouth," Savannah explained, "Bulbasaur did not like that, so he pushed Tyrunt away with Vine Whip."

"Oi vey," Damon muttered under his breath, "Look… I'm going to stay out here with my Pokémon. You two can go explore the aquarium."

"You sure, babe?" Savannah asked.

"Yeah… I can't really enjoy the aquarium anyway, but have fun," Damon responded.

Savannah gave him a quick kiss and left for the aquarium with a grumbling Spectra trudging behind. Damon stood up before his Pokémon, Ralts still clinging to his pant leg, and sighed.

"Guys… Tyrunt means no harm. He greets with his mouth because he has tiny arms," Damon explained.

He heard an audible gasp and turned toward the source. Tyrunt stared at him with mouth agape in dismay and his aforementioned tiny arms dropped toward the ground. It was obvious that he offended the Royal Heir by commenting on his tiny arms.

"What happened?" Damon asked, confused.

He used his Pokédex to see which of his Pokémon gasped and discovered it was Tyrunt. The Rock-and-Dragon-type then fell onto his rear and stared up at Damon with a hurt expression.

Inside the Ambrette Aquarium, Savannah was wandering around the various exhibits that showcased the Water-type Pokémon alongside the coastline. She found it all so fascinating. Spectra would've been thinking the same if her worries over her brother attacking them weren't plaguing her mind.

"So… are you gonna tell me what's up?" Savannah asked her suddenly.

Spectra's blue-green eyes shot up in alarm at the inquisitive emerald stare of the redheaded beauty before her. She opened her mouth to deny anything was wrong, but Savannah put her hands on her hips, and rendered Spectra silent. How did she do that?

"Come on… this is why I suggested visiting the aquarium," Savannah revealed, "I knew Damon would not come inside since he can't see any of the exhibits. It's just us, Spectra, so talk to me. What. Is. Wrong?"

"It's hard to explain," Spectra grumbled.

"We have time," Savannah responded, pointing toward a nearby bench for them to sit on.

Spectra joined her on the bench and folded her hands atop her lap. She cautiously glanced over at Savannah, who waited patiently for her to tell her what was bothering her. Could she tell her? She already mentioned part of her life to Damon. He already knew her father was an abusive prick who hit her after her mother passed away, but her brother… he was an entirely different story. Spectra drew her hands close to her stomach and tightly closed her eyes.

"You can…," Savannah tried assuring her.

"The leader of those thieves who attacked Ernest is my brother," Spectra blurted out as if she were ripping off a bandage.

Savannah's eyes widened in shock at the revelation. Spectra looked at her as if she were on the verge of tears. She had to open up. She could trust Savannah. She could trust Damon. Right?

Outside the aquarium, Damon was able to deduce how he upset Tyrunt and was apologizing profusely to the Royal Heir Pokémon. Ralts eventually had to inch toward the fearsome Pokémon and assure him herself. The Psychic-and-Fairy-type's empathic demeanor helped lift Tyrunt's spirits, so Damon sure was thankful for that.

Damon then took out food bowls for his Pokémon and prepared some food for them. He took a seat on a nearby bench and listened to his Pokémon munch on their meals. Damon then heard something scrape against the ground toward him. It sounded like one of the bowls being dragged.

"Who's dragging their bowl?" he asked.

The dragging stopped and there was a familiar grunt from Tyrunt. He had been happily gobbling down his meal and pushing it along the ground while doing so. It was kind of an adorable sight to behold. Damon felt at ease alongside his Pokémon and his content feeling made Ralts, who sat beside his feet with her food bowl, happy.

Damon then took out his cell phone and called his father, something he had regrettably failed to do in quite a while. The phone barely registered a single ring before it was answered by Harold Pierce.

"Do you have _any _idea how long I have been waiting for a call from you, young man?" he asked.

Back inside the aquarium, Spectra had revealed to Savannah everything she had already told Damon. Savannah was horrified that Spectra was abused by her father, but little did she know that it wasn't even the beginning. Spectra took a breath and fought back the tears before subtly lifting her shirt to reveal her scarred stomach. Savannah's eyes widening was queue for Spectra to lower her shirt back down.

"Your Dad did that to you?" Savannah asked.

"No… my brother did it to me," Spectra revealed, "My father is an angry drunk and an asshole, but he would _never_… go that far. Argentum; however, is a sociopath. We left my father and lived on the streets. Argentum taught me everything I know, but I had to leave him for obvious reasons."

"Oh my… Spectra… I'm so sorry you've gone through so much," Savannah apologized to her.

"But now you understand why I'm in such a rush to leave, right? If I recognized my brother's voice, it's obvious he recognized my face. You and Damon are in danger," Spectra told her, "You got in his way and _no one _gets in his way."

"Yeah, well no one hurts my friends. If this asshole even dares show his face, I'll show him what's up," Savannah responded, punching her hand for emphasis.

Spectra sighed in frustration. She just didn't get it. There was no fighting Argentum. There was just getting out of his way. Savannah put an arm around Spectra's shoulders and held her close. This was a comforting gesture, but that's all it was. A gesture.

"You need to tell Damon everything," Savannah told her, "He deserves to know."

"I know… I will, but… can I just sit here and be held for a little bit?" Spectra asked, pouting at her.

"Of course. I got you," Savannah assured her, giving her shoulders a little squeeze.

It may have only been a comforting gesture, but Spectra would be a liar if she didn't admit to how good it made her feel. She leaned into Savannah's embrace and didn't even make a move to grope her or comment on how close their bodies were to each other.

The two women rejoined Damon outside just as he got off the phone with his father. He heard their approach and smelled their respective shampoo. He grinned at them and stood up from the bench.

"How was the aquarium?" he asked.

"It was…," Savannah responded before pausing to find the right word.

"We didn't do much sightseeing," Spectra cut her off, "I told Savannah why I've been so weird lately. That thief the other day… with the Noivern… he's my brother, Argentum Flame."

"Oh… o-okay," Damon stammered, stunned by Spectra's revelation.

"And you remember me mentioning my Dad hitting me right?" Spectra asked, twiddling her thumbs awkwardly.

"Yeah," Damon responded.

"Well… my dear brother… he, uh… he cut my stomach up pretty badly," Spectra admitted, "I'm pretty scarred. Like… no bikinis for me."

Damon was silent, nodding to himself as he took in everything Spectra told him. He then tapped his cane against the ground and offered a smile to her.

"He'll never hurt you again so long as I'm around," he told her, "I swear to Arceus."

Spectra stood there for a long moment and blinked rapidly. Tears began to form in her eyes and her rapid blinking sent them down her cheeks, messing up her makeup.

"You're such an idiot, dude," she told him, wiping at her eyes.

"I know," Damon responded, "Do you want a hug?"

He opened his arms to her and Spectra did not respond, but she did drag herself over to Damon and pressed her forehead into his chest. Damon closed his arms around her and held her tight as she sniffled back her tears. This is what friendship felt like. Spectra relaxed considerably as the weight of her past eased up on her back a bit.

"Don't leave me out," Savannah complained as she engulfed Spectra from behind with an even tighter embrace.

The trio shared a laugh as they continued hugging each other in front of the Ambrette Aquarium. Damon's Pokémon watched the scene unfold and they even got a few strange looks from some onlookers.

"Heh… yes, sandwich me, sweeties," Spectra whispered so only Damon and Savannah could hear.

With the moment ruined, both released her from the embrace. Damon returned all of his Pokémon to their Pokéballs and collected himself. Spectra spent a little time cleaning up her face and reapplying her makeup.

"Let's head out," Damon stated, "We should be able to get to Cyllage City by tomorrow."


	25. Life's a Beach

The trio descended from Ambrette Town and stepped foot onto the Lower Muraille Coast. The sandy beaches proved difficult for them to trek across in their shoes, so they discarded them in favor of going barefoot. Damon had to admit that the feeling of sand between his toes was pleasant. He took a deep inhale of the sea salt air and smiled to himself.

The weather wasn't hot enough for the crowds of tourists to flood the beach, but there were a few scattered individuals. The coastline seemed to stretch on forever and neither Savannah nor Spectra could see a hint of Cyllage City in the distance. It was going to be a long walk. The sound of the ocean waves hitting the sand was invitingly taunting.

"Ugh… what I would give for a beach day," Savannah commented with a dreamy sigh.

"We could stop," Damon suggested.

"No, no. We need to get to Cyllage City. We can't waste time," Savannah responded.

"It isn't a waste. I'm not going to let my journey stop you from enjoying what Kalos has to offer," Damon assured, "If it's okay with Spectra, we can have a beach day."

The group stopped and Savannah stared pleadingly at Spectra, who seemed unsure. She had no swimsuit of the slightest. As she mentioned beforehand, she did not exactly have a body for a bikini due to her scars. But Savannah looked so adorable looking at her with those big Lillipup eyes. Spectra sighed in defeat.

"We can have a beach day," she told them.

"Yes!" Savannah squealed in excitement.

With beach day decided, the group made their way over to some changing stalls so Damon and Savannah could change into their swimwear. Spectra chose to simply wear a pair of shorts and that is all. Savannah came out in a white and red bikini that worked with her assets as opposed to against them.

"You look like a candy cane," Spectra commented, "Mind if I give you a lick?"

She winked at Savannah, who rolled her eyes in an almost amused way. Damon came out next and was simply wearing a pair of gym shorts. Spectra eyed him up and down and shook her head.

"Seriously… does he have a ten inch dick or something? The nice guy routine should only go so far to land _her_," she commented, pointing a thumb over at Savannah.

"It's not ten inches," Damon responded, smirking a little bit.

"But it's big enough," Savannah assured, draping an arm around Damon's shoulder.

"Do you need me to rub sunscreen on you?" Damon asked.

"Oh, yes, please," Savannah responded.

They were off to set up their stay near one of the fire pits already set up throughout the beach. Savannah lay out a pair of towels and lay down across one of them. She also dug out some large indents in the sand so she could comfortably lay on her front. Damon knelt beside her and applied sunscreen to her bare back. Savannah shivered from the chilled liquid being squirted onto her skin. Spectra approached and eyed the couple before grabbing onto her elbow.

"I'm gonna… go for a walk," she told them, "Try not to do anything stupid while I'm gone."

With that, she departed, leaving Damon and Savannah to apply sunscreen onto each other's bodies. Damon lay on the neighboring towel and enjoyed the sun on his body.

"Y'know… we should let our Pokémon out. It isn't fair that they can't enjoy today with us," Damon suggested.

"Good idea," Savannah responded.

They dug into their bags and pulled out Pokéballs. Frogadier, Fletchinder, Bulbasaur, Honedge, Ralts, Tyrunt, Fennekin, Flabébé, Squirtle, Pancham, and Bagon all joined the party. The menagerie of Pokémon stared at the Trainers and looked around at the beach.

"Have fun, guys, but please stay out of trouble," Damon told them.

"Frogadier is in charge, so listen to him," Savannah added.

Frogadier saluted his Trainer's girlfriend and took the task of keeping the others in line seriously. Ralts and Pancham remained by their Trainers. The former sat beside Damon's head, and used it as a headrest while kicking her little feet into the sand. The latter put on his trademark sunglasses and basked in the sun beside Savannah.

The Pokémon dispersed across the beach in search of something to do. Frogadier took position atop a rocky outcropping near the cliffs that allowed him to watch over everyone else. Tyrunt and Bagon found themselves a rival in each other and were busying themselves by sizing the other up. The tiny Dragons puffed out their chests to the point of losing balance and falling over onto their rears before returning to their feet to do it all over again. Fennekin, Fletchinder, Bulbasaur, Honedge, and Flabébé all ran around the beach playing a game of tag.

Elsewhere across the beach, Spectra was dragging her feet through the sand with the faithful Sparx on her shoulder. As hard as she tried, she could not rid her mind of her brother coming back into her life. Her stomach tingled in the worst kind of way.

As Spectra continued her walk, she started getting further and further away from where the few people on the beach were. She stopped suddenly and Sparx's ears twitched. Both Trainer and Pokémon leapt back as a purple glob of sludge splashed onto the sand. A Seviper slithered around Spectra and Sparx and it hissed at them menacingly.

"Well, well, well… look what we have here," the lone woman in Argentum's crew stated as she approached Spectra from behind.

"Lilith," Spectra greeted her as her eyes darted between her and Seviper.

Electricity cackled around Sparx's cheeks.

"For a "Ghost", you're pretty easy to find," the woman taunted.

Lilith was a punkish woman with a blonde Mohawk and blue eyes. She cracked her knuckles as she and her Seviper surrounded Spectra and Sparx.

"And you're just easy," Spectra taunted, "You've been fucked by every guy in the gang and I've fucked you up more times than I can count."

"That ends here and now, bitch!" Lilith snapped, "Seviper, use Poison Tail!"

"Iron Tail, Sparx!" Spectra countered.

Sparx leapt off her Trainer's shoulder as her tail gleamed a metallic silver color. She did a flip in the air to gain momentum into her swing, and slammed her tail against Seviper's. The two Pokémon struggled against each other's strength, but Seviper eventually threw Sparx back. Spectra turned to check on her Pokémon, but immediately had to sidestep a knife thrust from Lilith.

"Eyes on me, slut," Lilith ordered.

"You're ugliness makes you better in small doses," Spectra responded.

Lilith tried to stab Spectra again, but she caught the blonde's wrist between her left arm and her body, and disarmed her. Lilith kicked Spectra in the stomach, sending her stumbling backwards. Spectra expertly deflected blows and was moved back by Lilith's aggressive advancing. She stumbled over a rock and Lilith managed to punch her chin.

"Hurts don't it?" Lilith asked, smirking.

Spectra caught her with a quick punch to the throat. Lilith choked on her own breath, clutching at her neck. Spectra added on to the blow by grabbing Lilith's shoulders and then head-butting her in the nose. Blood sprayed out from Lilith's face as she stumbled back, groaning. Spectra quickly advanced by kicking sand in her opponent's face to disorient her further.

The blonde cried out as she was blinded. Seviper came to her Trainer's aid, but Sparx launched a Thunder Shock onto the Poison-type, electrocuting her. Spectra disarmed Lilith while she was disoriented, and pinned her face down into the beach with her arm bent behind her back.

"Get off of me!" Lilith's demand was muffled by her mouth full of sand.

"Just like the old days, eh Lilith?" Spectra asked, "You on the floor with your ass in the air."

She tauntingly patted her on her rear and Lilith seethed with rage. She fought against Spectra's pin, but the white-haired woman only tightened her hold. Lilith was prepared to break her own arm in order to get out of this pin, and Spectra knew her desperation. A hiss alerted Spectra to Seviper regaining her senses and the Poison-type lashed out with another Poison Tail.

Spectra rolled out of the way and the Poison Tail hit the sand, throwing up a cloud of dust. There was the sound of a Pokéball returning Seviper within and Spectra saw Lilith fleeing when the dust settled. She wanted to pursue. She wanted to put her back in her place, but she knew better. It was a trap, and Spectra would not be baited.

She turned and sprinted back toward Damon and Savannah. Sparx climbed up onto her shoulder mid-run. Spectra refused to look back. She needed to get to her friends. She needed to know they were safe. She needed to be safe with them by her side.

Spectra reached their unoccupied towels and looked around the beach for any sign of them. Her heart began beating rapidly in her chest and she cupped her hands around her mouth.

"Damon!" she shouted, "Savannah!"

A few people looked her way, but Spectra didn't care. She needed to know they were okay. She then spotted Damon hurrying toward the sound of her voice, his cane swishing the sand around in front of him. Spectra became overwhelmed with relief when she caught sight of Savannah following Damon.

"What happened?" Damon asked, "Everything okay?"

Spectra explained how she was attacked by a member of her brother's gang, so Damon and Savannah quickly changed out of their swimwear. The Pokémon were recalled and the group set off down the Muraille Coast since it was obviously not safe for them to remain at the beach.

"I'm sorry," Spectra told them, "I didn't mean to ruin your beach day."

"You didn't ruin anything," Savannah assured her.

"Yeah… that chick, Lilith, ruined our beach day," Damon responded.

He draped an arm around Spectra's shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze. Spectra leaned into the embrace and slowed her pace to match Damon's in order to avoid tripping him up. Sparx gave her Trainer an irritated look as she was squished between her and Damon. This human was lucky he fed her good food, because anyone else would have been zapped.

"Look Julie!" a muscular man in a Speedo exclaimed, "Another beautiful Trainer couple comes to challenge us."

A beautiful woman in a rather revealing bikini perked up when she turned toward the group. Her sparkling blue eyes immediately locked onto Damon's arm around Spectra's shoulders and she grinned.

"Oh my Arceus, Roman. They are so cute!" she exclaimed, "Let's battle them."

"You hear that, lovebirds?" Roman asked, "We challenge you to a battle so that we may be the strongest Trainer couple on this beach!"

Damon removed his arm from around Spectra's shoulders and cocked his head.

"We ain't a couple," Spectra stated.

"Nonsense! We're not blind!" Roman barked.

"Yeah! You're just scared to lose to us and for your relationship to be doomed because of it!" Julie added.

"Why're you yelling at us?" Damon asked.

"We're passionate!" the couple exclaimed in unison.

"You're putting the ass in passionate," Spectra grumbled.

"Oh my Arceus… thank you!" Julia exclaimed, "We do a hundred squats every morning before our hundred kilometer run!"

"Okay, that's it!" Spectra snapped, becoming irritated with their ignorance, "You wanna battle, let's battle!"

"Are we really doing this?" Damon asked in disbelief.

"Of course we are, _dear_. Let's show these punks who's really the best battle couple," Spectra responded.

"Excuse me?" Savannah asked, hands on her hips.

"Let it go, Red. Damon's mine right now," Spectra responded, "Sparx, let's go!"

The monochrome Pikachu hopped down from her Trainer's shoulder and electricity cackled around her cheeks. Damon plucked a Pokéball off of his belt and sighed before tossing it forward.

"Let's go, Frogadier!" he called out.

The Bubble Frog Pokémon appeared and looked over at Sparx uneasily. He was still unsure of what to think of the Electric-type following her attack back in Santalune Forest.

"Let's go Onix!" Roman called out.

"Cloyster, let's do this my love!" Julie exclaimed.

Their Pokémon appeared before Frogadier and Sparx, the former towering over them all, and roaring so mightily that the ground quaked. Damon aimed his Pokédex ahead of himself and scanned the two Pokémon.

"Onix, the Rock Snake Pokémon. It burrows at high speed in search of food. The tunnels it leaves are used as homes by Diglett. Cloyster, the Bivalve Pokémon. Cloyster that live in seas with harsh tidal currents grow large, sharp spikes on their shells," Damon's Pokédex stated.

"Let's begin! Spike Cannon!" Julie called out.

Her Cloyster fired a barrage of spike-like energy blasts from the sharpened tips of its shell. Frogadier and Sparx easily dodged the attack thanks to their agility.

"Water Pulse, Frogadier! Aim for Onix!" Damon called out.

Frogadier hurled a ball of water at Onix, aiming for the ultra effective attack, but Cloyster suddenly hurled itself into the path of the attack to protect Onix. The Water Pulse damaged the Water-and-Ice-type, but nowhere near as much as it would have done to Onix.

"Onix, use Rock Throw!" Roman called out.

The Rock Snake then stretched high above the beach as glowing boulders formed around its head. They were then launched down at Frogadier and Sparx, who dodged the attack with ease.

"Good thing they're so slow," Spectra commented, "Sparx, use Thunder Shock on Cloyster!"

Electricity cackled around her cheeks before Sparx fired a bolt of lightning at the Bivalve Pokémon. Onix suddenly threw itself into the path of the oncoming Electric-type attack and endured the blow thanks to its Ground-typing. Spectra gritted her teeth in frustration.

"Onix, use Dig!" Roman ordered.

The massive Pokémon then dove into the sand, leaving a tunnel behind. Frogadier and Sparx looked around for any sign of the oncoming Rock-and-Ground-type Pokémon. Damon resorted to focus on listening for the Rock Snake.

"Cloyster, use Ice Shard!" Julie called out.

With Frogadier and Sparx distracted by Onix's disappearance, Cloyster took advantage, and fired shards of ice their way.

"Use Cut, Frogadier!" Damon ordered.

Frogadier created a pair of energy blades in his hands and expertly deflected the Ice Shard away from Sparx and himself. He looked back at the Electric-type to confirm her condition and the two nodded at each other.

"Now Onix!" Roman called out.

The ground shook as Onix burst out from the beach, exploding sand in all directions. Frogadier and Sparx were thrown up into the air, taking damage from the attack.

"Water Pulse!" Damon called out.

Frogadier was quick to collect himself and formed a ball of water in his hand.

"Clamp!" Julie shouted.

Cloyster suddenly appeared behind Frogadier and clamped its shell around the Bubble Frog Pokémon's hand. Frogadier cried out in pain as his Water Pulse was snuffed out within Cloyster's vice-like shell. The two dropped down to the sand with a somewhat satisfying thud. Onix then turned to Sparx, knowing the main threat in the battle was being taken care of.

"Iron Tail!" Spectra called out.

"Screech!" Roman countered.

Sparx ran forward along the sand with her tail glowing a gleaming silver color, but Onix lowered its massive head down to her level, and let out a piercing screech that blew the Electric-type back. Damon clamped his hands over his ears as the piercing noise disoriented him. Spectra looked at him in concern and then turned back to the battle as Onix prepared another Rock Throw. Sparx busied herself by dodging the boulder barrage.

"Damon! Damon, get your shit together!" Spectra shouted at him.

His ears were still ringing from Onix's Screech, but Damon knew he needed to keep battling.

"Use Cut to get yourself free!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.

With his free hand, Frogadier produced an energy blade that he used to slash at Cloyster's shell to no avail. The Bivalve Pokémon's was simply too tough to crack open. Frogadier then paused as an idea popped in his head. The Bubble Frog clenched up and Cloyster burst open as an energy blade was manifested in Frogadier's other hand _inside _the Water-and-Ice-type's shell!

"Cloyster!" Julie cried out.

Frogadier hopped back to where Sparx stood, facing off against Roman's Onix, and the two shared a resolved nod. Damon's hearing returned to him and he shook himself back to the fight.

"Let's end this shit," Damon growled.

"Agreed," Spectra responded.

"Quick Attack!" both Trainers ordered their Pokémon.

Both Frogadier and Sparx rushed their opponents to the surprise of Roman and Julie.

"Withdraw!" Julie ordered.

"Dig!" Roman demanded.

Cloyster closed up its shell while Onix retreated beneath the beach. Both Frogadier and Sparx slammed into Cloyster, shoving the Bivalve Pokémon backwards across the sand. The beach started to rumble beneath them as Onix returned to the surface.

"Jump away now!" Damon called out, using his enhanced senses to detect when Onix was closest.

Both Frogadier and Sparx jumped out of the way of Onix bursting out from underneath them, and poor Cloyster was caught up in the mayhem, thrown back even more by its own partner.

"Hey! Watch it!" Julie snapped at her boyfriend.

"Tell Cloyster to stay out of our way!" Roman snapped back.

Cloyster opened up and argued with Onix as its Trainer did the same with Onix's Trainer. The Rock Snake defended its actions to the Bivalve Pokémon and the opposition dissolved into a bickering mess of themselves.

"They're distracted," Damon stated with a knowing smirk.

"Good," Spectra added in.

"Water Pulse!" Damon shouted.

"Electro Ball!" Spectra called out.

Roman and Julie snapped back to reality as the two elemental orb attacks were launched at their still bickering Pokémon. Their calls landed on deaf ears as the Water Pulse swelled up to engulf the Electro Ball. The two attacks combined into a pleasing, static-filled ball of pulsating water that hit both Onix and Cloyster. Both Pokémon fell with even more satisfying thuds and were knocked unconscious by the combination attack from Frogadier and Sparx.

"What!?" Roman bellowed in dismay, "We lost!?"

"Of course we lost, ya dope!" Julie snarled, "We wouldn't have lost if my partner wasn't a complete imbecile!"

"Who ya calling an imbecile?" Roman asked.

"You, ya stupid imbecile!" Julie snapped, "Ugh… I knew I should've listened to my mother about you."

"Yeah, well your mother has an _excellent _track record when it comes to men," Roman commented.

"_Excuse me_!?" Julie screeched.

"Should we say something?" Damon asked, returning Frogadier to his Pokéball after praising the Bubble Frog.

"Nah… let the annoying ones bicker," Spectra responded, petting Sparx as the Electric-type climbed onto her shoulder.

With that, the trio continued on along the Lower Muraille Coast toward Cyllage City, leaving Roman and Julie to continue bickering with themselves. Spectra then threw an arm around Damon's shoulders and smirked triumphantly.

"We make a good team, babe," she told him, "We're _definitely _the strongest Trainer couple on the beach now."

"Excuse me!?" Savannah snapped angrily from behind the two.


	26. Burning Ghost

It was well after ten o'clock at night by the time Damon, Savannah, and Spectra strolled into the Cyllage City Pokémon Center. They were tired and achy from walking across the uneven surface of the Muraille Coast. The pink-haired nurse looked up from her book and put on a smile.

"Evening," she greeted them.

"Two rooms, please," Damon requested in a tired voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry, sir, but we only have one room available," the nurse revealed.

Damon turned back toward Savannah to see what she thought about the predicament, but Spectra suddenly stepped forward.

"We'll make it work," she declared.

"This better not be some smutty plot," Savannah told her.

"Get off your pedestal, Tits McGee. I'm tired and wanna lay on a bed _now_," Spectra responded.

Damon showed his Trainer Card and the nurse handed him the room key, but Spectra snatched it from her grasp, and marched off toward euphoric comfort. Damon and Savannah lagged behind as they followed her.

"I hope she realizes that we're sleeping on the bed," Damon commented.

"Yeah," Savannah agreed, "Tits McGee does _not _sleep on the floor."

Spectra unlocked the door to their room and all three entered. The light was turned on and tired groans filled the space. Spectra immediately plopped face down onto the bed and then rolled over onto her back.

"Ahh… that feels nice," she stated.

"Don't get used to it," Savannah told her, "You're sleeping on the floor."

"Bitch, no I ain't," Spectra responded, "You two can cuddle up with me or _you _can sleep on the floor."

"Neither will be happening," Savannah declared, crossing her arms.

Spectra scoffed, standing up, and glared daggers at the redhead.

"You'll have to fight me for this bed," she challenged.

"There will be no fighting," Damon intervened.

"I'm not backing down," Spectra told him.

"Neither am I," Savannah added in.

Damon sighed heavily as the two women bickered back and forth over their sleeping arrangements.

"Is the mini fridge full of those little bottles of liquor?" Damon asked.

Savannah broke off from her argument with Spectra to confirm this and relayed that there were bottles of liquor in the mini fridge. The legal drinking age in Kalos _was _eighteen after all, so many of the rooms at the Pokémon Centers across the Region were stocked with alcohol. Employees would often keep track of how much was taken when they would come in to collect the bedding to be washed, and the Trainers were promptly charged when they checked out.

"Good," Damon responded as he approached the sound of the humming refrigerator.

He opened it and took out a one ounce bottle of vodka. Damon unscrewed the cap and chugged it in one gulp. Savoring the burning sensation and taking advantage of the liquid courage, Damon turned to the women.

"We'll share the bed," he told them, "I'll sleep between you two so there's no fighting."

"I'm not sharing…," Savannah tried to argue.

"We're sharing," Damon cut her off, "No arguing. It's too damn late and I'm too damn tired to referee a chick fight."

"I don't need a referee," Spectra stated, "Ain't no rules in a girl fight, _but _I'm fine with the plan."

She then sauntered over to the mini fridge and took a one ounce bottle of whiskey from inside. Spectra gulped it down and then stalked off toward the bathroom to take a shower. Savannah grumbled something under her breath and grabbed two bottles of vodka, finishing them off in rapid succession.

"You better not be happy about this little arrangement," she told Damon.

"How can I be when you're unhappy about it?" he asked.

After the trio were showered and a few more drinks were finished off, they climbed into bed as Damon had suggested. It was a full-sized bed and they were average-sized people, but it was a little cramped, and Savannah and Spectra were uncomfortably near the edge, so they scooted close to Damon.

"Get away," Savannah told Spectra, "I don't like that your tits are touching Damon."

"Jealous, bitch?" Spectra asked, purposefully rubbing her breasts against Damon's body.

Savannah scoffed and reached over Damon to shove Spectra away. She unintentionally planted her hand over the white-haired woman's breast while doing so. Spectra scoffed and reached over Damon to shove Savannah back by her breast.

"Hey!" Savannah cried out before glaring.

"Question," Damon spoke up from between the two quarrelling women.

"Yeah?" Savannah asked.

"What's up?" Spectra asked.

"Do I look like a scratching post?" he questioned.

"No," both women agreed in their response.

"Then quit treating me like one and go the hell to sleep. Now," Damon ordered.

Spectra then draped her arm over Damon's chest and twirled circles with her finger. Savannah glared daggers at Spectra from the other side of the boyfriend whose chest she was fondling.

"Y'know… we could make Red's dream come true," Spectra pointed out.

"Not going to happen," Savannah responded, "Now get your hand off my boyfriend."

She smacked her hand away. Damon sighed, sitting up in the bed between them. Savannah and Spectra stared at him with concern as he rolled his shoulders to relax himself.

"Okay… I'm sick and tired of this shit," he stated.

"Damon, we're just…," Savannah tried to say.

"No," Damon cut her off, "I'm talking and I will not stop talking until I've said my peace. We need to lay out all our cards on the table _now_."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Spectra asked.

"What the fuck are we?" Damon asked in response, "What's happening between us? Where does our collective relationship wind up?"

"It's hard to say," Savannah admitted.

"Then let's figure it out," Damon responded, "Spectra, do you _honestly _see yourself in a sexual relationship with Savannah and/or myself?"

Both women were briefly stunned by the bluntness of his question. Spectra blinked before bringing herself back to reality. She looked over at Savannah, obviously looking her up and down, and then did the same to Damon.

"As soon as both of you are DTF," she answered.

"Are you serious or are you just being a tease?" Damon asked, "I'm not messing around right now. I want to know what your intentions for Savannah and I are."

"I'm serious," Spectra revealed.

"Okay… Savannah," Damon continued.

"I'm not answering anything," she declared.

"Aw, are you afraid he'll call you out on your crap?" Spectra asked.

"Do you _honestly _see yourself wanting to be in a sexual relationship with Spectra and myself?" Damon questioned.

Silence, but that meant that the idea wasn't immediately rejected. Spectra sat up when she realized that Savannah was actually contemplating it. Damon waited for his girlfriend's answer.

"How would it even work?" Savannah asked.

"It'd be a polyamorous relationship. Basically we'd all be dating each other and no one would have a problem when some combination of us three fuck. Whether it's you and Damon, you and me, Damon and me, or all three of us," Spectra explained, "Right?"

"Yeah… sounds about right," Damon responded, "But it'll only happen as long as all three of us are okay with it happening."

The attention was shifted back onto Savannah, who continued mulling over the idea. She then looked over at Damon and Spectra, her heart racing as her mind was made up. Savannah took a calming breath and her face became determined with her answer.

"Yes," she consented.

"Oh shit," Damon responded, shocked that Savannah was okay with the idea of dating him _and _Spectra.

"Holy fuck… Tyrell is going to cream his shorts when he hears about this," Spectra commented.

Savannah then sat up and leaned over Damon, grabbing Spectra by her top. The white-haired woman's blue-green eyes widened in shock as Savannah stared through her.

"For once… shut the fuck up," Savannah told her before silencing her with a passionate kiss.

Damon was confused at what was basically happening right in front of him, but he soon deduced it after hearing soft, muffled mewling from both women.

"I'll get the TM-17's," Damon stated, crawling past the two kissing women.

Spectra immediately took control of the situation and gently shoved Savannah onto her back. She climbed on top of her and moved her lips down to her collarbone. Savannah gasped with pleasure and groped at Spectra's clothed breast. Damon returned to his girlfriends with the needed protection in tow. He climbed onto the bed and was immediately set upon by Spectra. Damon found himself on his back with Spectra straddling his lap. She stared down at him and licked her lips before kissing him deeply.

Savannah blinked back her shock and fought the urge to pull Spectra off of Damon. She agreed to this. This was her life now. She grabbed Spectra's shorts around the waistline and pulled them down to her ankles. Spectra separated from Damon due to shock of this, a trail of saliva still connecting their lips, and she looked back at Savannah's grinning face.

The next morning, Damon woke up to four arms and four legs wrapped around his body. Firm, yet malleable mounds of awesomeness were pressed up against his body from either side. He could smell Pecha Berry shampoo on his left and the remnants of Sitrus Berry gum on his right. Spectra's eyes opened next and she blinked at Damon staring blankly into space.

"Good morning, lover," she greeted him with a cooing voice.

She took the chance to kiss along his jaw line while snaking a hand down beneath the covers toward his lap. Spectra gripped him and smirked as Damon reflexively threw his head back.

"Your new nickname's gonna be Big D for _obvious _reasons," she told him, kissing down his neck.

Savannah woke up to the sound of skin stroking against skin and looked over at Damon and Spectra. Her eyes widened when she saw the blanket bobbing up and down near Damon's crotch and she pouted.

"No fair. I want in," she said.

"H-Hey… I, uh… I need to get ready to go set my challenge for the Gym," Damon managed to say.

Spectra reluctantly released her grip on him and held her hands up in surrender. Damon scrambled out of bed and searched for his clothes. Savannah and Spectra scooted closer to the center of the bed and gawked at Damon's naked body moving through the shared room. Soon enough he was dressed and out the door. Spectra rolled onto her side and stared at Savannah.

"So what'd you think?" she asked her, "Did I live up to your dream?"

Savannah turned onto her side and tapped her chin in thought. She then smirked and nodded.

"What do we do now?" Savannah asked.

"Each other," Spectra answered, slipping under the covers.

Savannah's brow furrowed in confusion, but then her entire body tensed up and she let out a moan of pleasure.

Damon trekked through Cyllage City alone, his cane guiding the way. The city was nestled between the cliffs to the east and the ocean to the west. Several bike lanes and tracks snaked all over and the occasional cyclist raced by without a care in the world.

"Damon!" a familiar voice called out to him.

He stopped and turned toward the voice before his face contorted into disgust as an awful-smelling cologne filled his nose.

"Dear Arceus… you're still wearing that shitty cologne?" Damon asked.

Tyrell James stopped, grinned, and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. Erin appeared beside him and smiled with amusement.

"I think it smells nice," she responded.

"Holy… Ty, you gotta marry this woman," Damon stated.

Tyrell chuckled awkwardly before clearing his throat. He looked around for any sign of Savannah and Spectra, and frowned when he did not see them.

"Where the ladies at?" he asked.

"They're sleeping in," Damon responded, "So… have you challenged the Gym yet?"

"Just got done, and guess what my dude," Tyrell revealed, taking out a Badge, and extending his hand out toward Damon, "I won!"

He jabbed the Badge into his friend's shoulder to let him know what was going on and Damon examined it in his hand.

"Good work, Ty. I'm proud of you," Damon responded before turning to Erin, "He hasn't been much trouble, right?"

"Nope. No trouble at all. He's a wonderful boyfriend," Erin stated.

Damon was shocked at the unintentional revelation and his jaw dropped slightly. Tyrell planted a hand on Damon's shoulder as he took his Badge back.

"Don't make it such a big deal, dude. It had to be a matter of time before someone realized how great I was," Tyrell said.

"I mean… you're technically correct, but it's hard to believe you actually found them," Damon responded, "I, uh… got big relationship news too."

"Oh no… did something happen between you and Savannah?" Erin asked with concern.

"You could, uh… say that," Damon replied, clearing his throat awkwardly.

Tyrell's eyes widened as he deduced where Damon was headed. He whispered a curse under his breath and grabbed Damon by the shoulders.

"Are you fucking _kidding _me!?" he shouted.

"Nope," Damon responded with a grin.

"What's going on?" Erin asked.

"This a-hole is fucking both Savannah and Spectra _at the same time_!" Tyrell exclaimed, "I fucking called it!"

Damon chuckled dryly as he removed Tyrell's hands from his person. He simply scraped his cane against the ground as Tyrell made a series of noises as he struggled to comprehend the latest update in his best friend's love life. Erin was just as shocked as he was.

"I mean… it's untraditional, but I'm not judgmental," she said.

"Obviously," Damon responded, "Look who you're dating."

"I'm happy for you all if it makes you happy," Erin stated.

"I'm so jealous of you, you piece of shit," Tyrell sobbed.

"Excuse me?" Erin questioned, hands on her hips.

Tyrell looked at her in alarm and waved his hands defensively, trying to laugh his previous comment off. Damon simply grinned and basked in his best friend's envy as if it were some magical elixir that could replenish his life force.


	27. Climbing to the Top

Tyrell and Erin followed Damon back to the Cyllage City Pokémon Center where they reunited with Savannah and Spectra. The latter embraced Erin in a tightly manner that left the tall, slender woman a tad bit breathless.

"How's my favorite set of legs been?" Spectra asked.

"Pretty good. Pretty good," Erin responded, "So Damon told me about your… relationship status?"

"Oh, that we're all fucking each other? Yeah, it's not half bad," Spectra admitted.

"I still can't believe I fucking called it," Tyrell grumbled, "You've gotta tell me _everything_, dude."

"No he isn't," Savannah cut in.

"Yeah, sorry man… I don't kiss and tell," Damon added.

"Boo, you suck," Tyrell grumbled.

"Back to the important business," Damon stated, "How was the Gym battle?"

"Come on, man. Y'know I can't release the whole details. It was hard, but I won, and that's what matters," Tyrell responded, "There actually was one part though… it, uh… might be hard for you in particular, Damon."

"What do you mean?" Damon asked.

The group approached the Cyllage City Gym, which was situated high up on the mountain above the city, and they entered into the lobby. A young man with climbing gear noticed them enter and approached.

"Sup, guys. Welcome to the Cyllage City Gym. I'm Craig and I help out the Gym Leader. Are any of you interested in battling him?" the young man asked.

"I am," Damon stated.

Craig was a bit taken aback by Damon due to the latter's disability, but he collected himself when he noticed he had four pairs of steely gazes glaring down at him from behind Damon.

"Sweet, dude. You're in luck! There is an opening right now if you wanna take it," Craig revealed.

"I'll take it," Damon responded.

"Great!" Craig exclaimed, "You and whoever's not planning to battle in the future or have already battled here can follow me."

Craig led the group into the back room of the Gym, which opened up into a large, tall space complete with a rock climbing setup beneath a battlefield nearly thirty-five feet above them. There was even an artificial waterfall flowing down one of the sides of the battlefield's support.

"Yo Craig!" someone called from halfway up the rock climbing wall.

A dark-skinned man hung off from one of the pegs with one hand and waved down at everyone. He had dark brown hair with multicolored gemstone embedded within. He wore a black, long-sleeved shirt, gray pants, brown shoes, and had climbing gear similar to Craig.

"Grant! Get down here and meet your challenger!" Craig called back.

The man quickly rappelled down the rock wall and jogged over to the group. He immediately recognized Tyrell and Erin from his past battles against them.

"Nice to see you two again," Grant told them, "Who's my challenger?"

"I am," Damon declared.

"Whoa… a blind Trainer? Now I've seen it all," Grant commented.

Damon forced a smile as he fought against the urge to tell the Gym Leader off. He was beginning to grow tired of everyone being surprised that he was a Pokémon Trainer despite not being able to see. Oh well… he just had to prove he was more than his disability.

"We might have an issue, Grant," Craig pointed out, "How's he supposed to complete the first challenge?"

"Aw man… I just realized that," Grant responded.

"What's the first challenge?" Damon asked.

"I typically have my challengers climb up to the top," Grant revealed, "I'm an avid rock climber, so I have a thirty-five foot wall set up beneath the battlefield."

"Oh… um… yikes," Damon responded, feeling nervous.

"Look. I can let you take the elevator that I allow spectators to use," Grant offered.

Damon thought it over. It was the easy way through this latest obstacle life threw his way. He sighed, but then shook his head. How hard could it be?

"I'm gonna climb," Damon declared.

Everyone amongst his group shouted in displeasure at this announcement while Grant and Craig shared an impressed look with each other.

"Are you nuts?" Savannah asked, "That wall is too high!"

"I'm with Red on this, Damon. It's too dangerous," Spectra added.

"Just take the handicap, man," Tyrell told him.

"Please Damon; you have nothing to prove to anyone," Erin pleaded.

"I have everything to prove to everyone," Damon responded, his voice silencing his friends, "I'm sick and I'm tired of being looked down on and felt sorry for because I can't see. I'm not going to let _anything _stand in my way and I'm not gonna take anymore handicaps. Do I get gear for the climb."

"Yeah, dude. I'll gear you up in a sec," Craig responded, leaving to gather the climbing gear for Damon.

Grant smirked and stared firmly at Damon. He truly was impressed by his resolve to do anything thrown at him despite his disability. It was inspiring.

"I'll meet you up at the top," Grant told him, heading off to the wall to climb up it himself.

"Damon, we can help you navigate from down here," Savannah offered.

"No. I'm doing this myself," he responded, "No hand holding."

"Arceus… you're insane," Spectra stated.

She then kissed him on the lips, dropping Tyrell's jaw with the sight as he was still getting used to their three-way relationship. Spectra separated from Damon and sauntered off to the elevator.

"Be careful," Savannah told him before she too kissed Damon on his lips.

She then separated and joined Spectra by the elevator. Tyrell and Erin then stood in front of Damon.

"I ain't gonna kiss you, man, but… be careful," Tyrell told him.

"You've got this, Damon," Erin assured him.

"Thanks," Damon responded.

They then joined Savannah and Spectra by the elevator. They entered and began the ascent to the top. Craig returned and helped Damon put on his gear. He led him to the base of the wall and Damon handed over his cane since it would only get in the way during his climb.

"Good luck, dude. We'll be rooting for you at the top," Craig told him, leaving with Damon's cane in hand.

Damon took a breath and reached out in front of him. He felt the smooth surface of the wall before his hand hit a firm peg. He gripped onto the peg and then felt with his feet until he found two more that he could step on. Damon's heart started racing and he reached up with his free hand to feel around for another peg.

"Hand, foot, hand, foot," he told himself as he mimicked the action up the wall.

He was already ten feet up the wall by the time Craig reached the top. He joined the others in watching Damon climb.

"Holy crap… he's actually doing it," Craig stated.

"Whew! Go Damon!" Spectra called down to him.

Her sudden exclamation caused him to miss next foot hold and he slipped.

"Shit!" Spectra cried out.

Damon held on for dear life as he flailed his hanging limb around in search of another peg. To his relief, he found one, and resumed his climb.

"Sorry, Damon!" Spectra apologized.

Damon was now halfway up the wall, but his arms and legs were aching. He was beginning to doubt himself. Maybe he should've just humbled up and taken the elevator up. Did he _really _have to prove himself? Yes. Yes, he had to prove himself to be capable and self-reliant. He had Savannah and Tyrell backing him up in the Academy. His father coddled him throughout his childhood. Froakie damn near gave his life to protect him from Spectra and Sparx back in Santalune Forest. Spectra even saved him when Ryder shoved him into the river at the Battle Chateau. Susanna can shove her doubts about him right up where the sun don't shine. Damon was going to do this.

Damon reached out one last time and was stunned to discover that there was no wall before him. He was at the top! He pulled himself over the edge and was immediately collapsed upon by his friends. Their screams of congratulations melded together into a incomprehensible medley of sound.

"Holy… shit… that was… hard," Damon admitted between heavy breaths as he lay on his back at the top of the climbing wall.

"You completed your first challenge, Damon. Congratulations," Grant told him, "But it isn't over yet."

Damon was helped to his feet and Craig approached him to remove his climbing gear and return his cane. He then led the others in the stands so they can view the upcoming Pokémon battle before positioning himself to act as a referee.

"This Gym battle between Damon Pierce and the Cyllage City Gym Leader, Grant, will now begin!" Craig called out, "The battle will be a two-on-two where only the challenger will be allowed to switch Pokémon! I will call the battle when both Pokémon on either side are unable to continue battling!"

Damon took a breath as he stood on his side of the battle. He plucked a Pokéball from his belt and expanded it within his hand. He had already deduced what type of Pokémon Grant probably used, so his team was already set.

"Challenger, please send out your first Pokémon!" Craig called out.

"Go Honedge!" Damon shouted.

"Hmm… interesting," Grant responded, "Let's rock; go Amaura!"

Damon aimed his Pokédex ahead of himself in order to scan the Pokémon before him.

"Amaura, the Tundra Pokémon. This ancient Pokémon was restored from part of its body that had been frozen in ice for over one hundred million years," his Pokédex stated.

"Begin!" Craig called out.

"Amaura, use Aurora Beam!" Grant ordered.

Amaura cried out and fired a beam of multicolored energy at Honedge.

"Block it!" Damon called out, confident in his Pokémon sturdiness.

Honedge swung his blade-like body into the oncoming Aurora Beam, cutting through it, and only receiving a little bit of damage. Despite his typing favoring the matchup, Honedge still took quite the battering from the strong Ice-type move.

"Now use Gyro Ball!" Damon called out.

Honedge began spinning rapidly through the air toward Amaura, hitting the Rock-and-Ice-type hard. Amaura cried out and was pushed back several feet by the impact. Honedge stopped spinning and readied himself for more battling. The attack was extremely powerful as Steel-types were strong against both Ice and Rock-type Pokémon.

"Use Thunder Wave!" Grant called out.

Electricity cackled around Amaura's frills and it zapped toward Honedge, electrocuting the Steel-and-Ghost-type Pokémon, and rendering him paralyzed. He was completely at Grant and Amaura's mercy. Damon contemplated returning, but the second Pokémon he planned to use was not in a favorable match up against Amaura, so he stuck with Honedge for just a little bit longer.

"Hang in there, Honedge… use Shadow Sneak!" Damon called out.

Honedge struggled to fight off the paralysis and complete the attack, but was unable to move.

"Rock Tomb!" Grant called out.

Amaura roared and launched four large boulders through the air that landed perfectly around Honedge, confining him within the tight space between the rocks.

"Come on, Honedge… I believe in you! Use Shadow Sneak!" Damon called out.

Honedge struggled to move due to the paralysis and the boulders pinning him from all angles. The Steel-and-Ghost-type dug deep and eventually sank down into his own shadow, escaping the Rock Tomb. He shot over to Amaura, appearing behind the Tundra Pokémon, and slashing him in the back.

"Aurora Beam!" Grant called out.

Amaura recovered and turned to fire another beam of multicolored energy at Honedge.

"Gyro Ball!" Damon ordered.

Honedge spun around rapidly, easily piercing through the Aurora Beam, and slamming into Amaura with enough force to knock him off his feet. The Tundra Pokémon landed hard on the battlefield and Craig checked on his condition.

"Amaura is unable to battle!" he declared.

"Whew! Kick his ass, Damon!" Spectra cheered from the sidelines.

"You got this, babe!" Savannah added in.

"Return, Amaura. You did great out there," Grant told his Pokémon before readying his second and final teammate, "Let's rock; go Tyrunt!"

Damon grinned to himself as he and Honedge faced off against their next opponent. The Pokémon was a little familiar to him, so Damon put away his Pokédex as he had no reason to scan it.

"Honedge, use Gyro Ball!" Damon called out.

"Fire Fang!" Grant countered.

Damon gasped in alarm and prepared to call off Honedge's attack, but it was already too late. He went spinning in toward Tyrunt just as the Royal Heir Pokémon's teeth caught fire. Tyrunt took the Gyro Ball head-on and chomped down onto Honedge's body with the super-effective Fire-type attack. Tyrunt slid back from the impact, but held strong. Tyrunt then tossed Honedge to the ground, and the Sword Pokémon struggled to remain conscious.

"Honedge, use…," Damon tried to continue the battle.

"Rock Tomb!" Grant called out.

Tyrunt launched several rocks down onto Honedge before Damon could finish his command. The boulders pinned Honedge down and Craig ran forward to check on the Steel-and-Ghost-type. Honedge was still holding on with just a sliver of energy left over.

"I'm impressed with Honedge's resolve," Grant stated, "But it's over."

"Not yet! Honedge, use Shadow Sneak!" Damon ordered.

Honedge fought with the last pinch of strength he had left and snuck down into his own shadow. He shot over to Tyrunt before shooting out of the ground and slashing the Rock-and-Dragon-type in the back.

"End this with Fire Fang!" Grant demanded.

Tyrunt shook off the Shadow Sneak and chomped down onto Honedge's body with fiery fangs. Honedge was brutally tossed into the ground hard and Craig checked on his condition.

"Honedge is unable to battle!" he declared.

"Oh man… that was quick," Tyrell commented.

"Damon still has one Pokémon left and Tyrunt's already taken some damage," Erin pointed out.

"You're right… Damon could still win this," Tyrell responded.

"Of course he can. I don't date losers," Spectra stated.

"Good work Honedge. You fought so hard," Damon reassured his knocked out Pokémon.

He readied his final Pokémon for the battle and tossed the Pokéball into the air. It burst open.

"Go Bulbasaur!" Damon called out.

The Grass-and-Poison-type appeared ready for the fight. Tyrunt snorted and dug his clawed feet into the ground. This was the last battle today for Damon's chance to earn his second Badge. He needed to win this. He had to. He did so much work to get here, so losing was not an option.

"Bulbasaur, use Razor Leaf!" Damon called out.

"Spin while using Fire Fang!" Grant countered.

Bulbasaur launched a volley of sharpened leaves from the bulb on his back, but Tyrunt spun around in a circle while his teeth caught fire. The rapid spinning caused the flames to lash out like a cyclone, burning the oncoming Razor Leaf to a crisp while keeping Tyrunt safe and sound.

"Amazing," Savannah admitted.

"Meh, I've seen better," Spectra grumbled.

"Poison Powder!" Damon called out.

Bulbasaur responded by shooting a purple, powdery blast that struck Tyrunt in the face. The Rock-and-Dragon-type coughed as he became disoriented, stumbling around as the poison status took hold over him. Purple static traveled across his entire body, dealing damage.

"Shake it off, Tyrunt, and use Rock Tomb!" Grant ordered.

Tyrunt fought through the pain and launched a series of boulders through the air.

"Dodge it, Bulbasaur!" Damon commanded.

Bulbasaur ran as fast as his legs could carry him as the boulders thudded against the battlefield around him. The distraction worked in favor of Grant and Tyrunt as the Royal Heir Pokémon closed the distance.

"Fire Fang!" Grant ordered.

Bulbasaur was stunned at how close Tyrunt was and cried out as the Rock-and-Dragon-type chomped down with a fiery bite. Tyrunt shook Bulbasaur like a ragdoll before tossing him across the battlefield to where Damon stood.

Purple static shot across Tyrunt's body again, but the Rock-and-Dragon-type was nowhere near finished. Bulbasaur; however, was inflicted with the dreaded burn status. A flash of fire seared his body, causing him to cry out.

"Bulbasaur, hold on!" Damon called out.

"Use Rock Tomb!" Grant ordered.

Tyrunt launched another volley of boulders through the air and this time they landed all around Bulbasaur, pinning him in place. Damon felt helpless as his Pokémon's struggles became audible to everyone in attendance.

"Bulbasaur…," he muttered.

"Let's end this Tyrunt," Grant stated, "Fire Fang!"

Tyrunt charged in as fast as he could run. Bulbasaur could not free himself no matter how hard he tried. Damon clenched his fists and closed his eyes tightly to the point that tears pushed out.

"Bulbasaur!" he shouted.

Bulbasaur suddenly erupted with light and a burst of energy pushed the Rock Tomb apart. Tyrunt stopped in his tracks and stared in amazement as Bulbasaur evolved before everyone's eyes.

"Bulbasaur's evolving!" Savannah called out to Damon.

He readied his Pokédex, and aimed it at the new Pokémon before him.

"Ivysaur, the Seed Pokémon. There is a plant bulb on its back. When it absorbs nutrients, the bulb is said to blossom into a large flower," Damon's Pokédex stated.

"Amazing Ivysaur! You evolved!" he exclaimed.

The burn status was healed by Ivysaur's evolution, but Tyrunt's poison remained, and damaged the Royal Heir Pokémon. Ivysaur then started to glow green and he glared at his struggling opponent.

"Whoa… that's Overgrow! Ivysaur's Ability is Overgrow! It powers up Grass-type moves!" Tyrell shouted.

"Good to know," Damon responded, "Razor Leaf!"

Ivysaur launched the attack at Tyrunt, who was unable to avoid it this time as he was still recovering from the poison. Tyrunt cried out in pain as the volley of sharpened leaves cut him down. The Royal Heir Pokémon fell forward and Craig ran over to check on his condition.

"Tyrunt is unable to battle; therefore, the winner is the challenger, Damon Pierce!" he called out.

"We did it, Ivysaur! Thank you! Thank you _so much_!" Damon exclaimed as the Grass-and-Poison-type ran to him.

Damon was once again collapsed upon by his friends who were again shouting congratulations to him. Grant returned Tyrunt to his Pokéball and then approached Damon's group with his hands in his pockets.

"Congrats, Damon. I've rarely had battles that intense, and as proof of your victory here at the Cyllage City Gym, I present you the Cliff Badge," Grant stated, handing over the Badge.

Damon took it, mouthed a quick thank you, and gently rubbed the surface of the Badge with glee.

"I did it! I won the Cliff Badge!" he exclaimed happily.


	28. Consequences

That evening, Damon and the group decided to celebrate his victory by hitting up a local bar and grill in the city. He was four thousand Pokédollars richer after all, so he wanted to treat his friends to a night out since they were always in his corner.

They sat in a corner booth, enjoyed margaritas, and grilled Pinap Berries and other treats.

"I still can't believe you snagged two of the most beautiful women I've ever seen," Tyrell told Damon.

"Hey… you got a beauty yourself, Ty. Quit acting as if you're your old pathetic self," Damon responded.

"Why do we subject ourselves to such losers?" Spectra asked the women flanking her.

Savannah shrugged and sipped her drink with amusement. Hours past before the group finally departed the bar and grill. They laughed, sang, and cheered down the streets of Cyllage City toward the Pokémon Center.

"To the journey!" Tyrell exclaimed.

"To the journey!" everyone else added with celebration.

Damon felt good. He had two lovely women on either side of him, a loyal friend who had his back no matter what, and a team of Pokémon that looked ready to take him far in life. Nothing could ruin this. Nothing at all. They entered the Pokémon Center and everyone approached the nurse to hand in their Pokémon so that they can have their energy restored.

As the group waited for their Pokémon, they convened on the sofas in the Pokémon Center's lobby. Damon sat between Savannah and Spectra, smiling to himself while tapping his cane against the ground.

"I feel so damn good right now, guys," he admitted.

"Oh you're just saying that because you're dating two gorgeous women," Spectra responded.

"No, really. I mean… that helps… a lot, but I'm really feeling good about things right now. It feels like for the first time in my life, things are going my way," Damon explained.

"Well, here's to continuing the trend," Savannah replied.

"Faith Kennedy," a commanding voice burst the celebratory bubble encapsulating the group.

Everyone turned to see a police officer standing with his arms crossed over a wide chest. He was staring right at the group, so everyone except Spectra looked off in the same direction to see who Faith Kennedy was. Spectra became uneasy and started to stand, but another police officer approached, cutting off her escape route.

"Don't run, Ms. Kennedy," the first officer explained.

"There's no Faith Kennedy here, officer," Erin revealed, standing up.

Everyone was on their feet now, confused by the police officer's appearance. Even the nurses seemed concerned as they looked on from behind the counter. Sparx saw the scene and jolted over to her Trainer's shoulder. Electricity cackled from her cheeks, so the second officer immediately fired his sidearm at the Pokémon. A metal ring shot out and wrapped around Sparx's neck, sending the Mouse Pokémon to the ground. The electricity was snuffed out by the device that rendered all Pokémon attacks useless.

"Hey! Back the hell up!" Spectra shouted, running to her Pokémon's defense.

The first police officer seized the opportunity to cuff Spectra.

"Faith Kennedy, you are under arrest for grand theft. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in court. You have the right to talk to a lawyer for advice before we ask you any questions. You have the right to have a lawyer with you during questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be appointed for you before any questioning if you wish. If you decide to answer questions now without a lawyer present, you have the right to stop answering at any time," the officer informed her as he started leading her away.

The second police officer grabbed Sparx by the scruff of her neck and carried her after his partner. Damon and the group rushed after them outside of the Pokémon Center where they saw them put Spectra and Sparx into the back of a police car.

"You have the wrong person!" Damon shouted, "Her name's not Faith Kennedy; it's…"

"It _is _Faith Kennedy!" Spectra shouted, interrupting him from the back of the police car.

"What did she steal?" Savannah asked.

"Ms. Kennedy is being charged with grand theft for stealing a PokéFlute from the Parfum Palace," the first officer revealed before closing the door.

He and his partner then got in the front seats and drove off, leaving Damon and company stunned at how their night of celebration quickly turned into one of the worst nights ever. Damon's shoulders slumped in disbelief as everything he thought he knew was turned upside down.

The next morning, Damon and Savannah ventured over to the Cyllage City Police Station. They were waiting in the lobby to be allowed to visit with Spectra. Damon yawned from a night without any sleep and Savannah attempted to comfort him by draping her arm around his shoulder.

"Well, well, well," a familiar haughty voice sent Damon to his feet.

Princess Penelope Parfum approached with her butler, Andrew close behind. She smirked venomously at Damon as he glared in her direction.

"As I said before, sweetie. I do not forgive those who've crossed me," Princess Penelope stated.

"Why do you even care about that PokéFlute?" Damon asked, his voice dangerously low.

"I care because it is mine and your friend stole it from me," Princess Penelope responded, hands on her hips.

"What can we do to get you to drop the charges?" Savannah asked.

"I expect my PokéFlute to be returned to me at once," Princess Penelope told them, "Your friend's charge will remain until then."

With that, Princess Penelope left with Andrew in tow. Damon sat down, clutching either side of his head. His frustration was becoming overwhelming. Savannah rubbed circles along his back, continuing to try and comfort him.

"We'll get a hold of the conservationist we gave the PokéFlute to. We'll free Spectra, or Faith, or whatever her name is," Savannah assured him.

"Alright you two," the arresting officer from last night stated, "You can speak to your friend."

He led them to a concrete room and opened the door to reveal Spectra and Sparx inside. She was cuffed to a table while Sparx pouted with her inhibitor collar still on. Spectra looked up sadly at Damon and Savannah and sighed.

"Howdy," she greeted them in a grumpy voice.

"You have ten minutes," the officer told them, leaving them to speak to Spectra alone.

"If I hear an I told you so, I will break free from these cuffs and beat you to death," Spectra threatened.

"We're not going to say I told you so," Damon assured.

"How're you doing?" Savannah asked.

"I spent the night in a cell; how do you think?" Spectra asked bitterly, "Sorry… I'm frustrated. I can't believe that little petty princess prick called the cops on me after all this time."

"She must've just realized the PokéFlute was missing," Damon responded.

"We're going to get in contact with the conservationist and return the PokéFlute to Parfum Palace. Princess Penelope said she'll drop the charges if we do," Savannah revealed.

"And you trust her?" Spectra asked.

"No, but we can't do nothing. We have to help you out," Damon responded.

"Thanks, Big D…," Spectra muttered, lowering her gaze.

"So… who's Faith Kennedy?" Savannah asked.

Silence fell over the room and Spectra shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She scratched at where her cuffs dug into her wrists.

"I am," she muttered, "Faith Kennedy is my real name."

"Heh… figure… no one in their right mind would name their kid Spectra Flame," Damon said.

"Hey, my name is cool," Spectra responded, "But keep it quiet, because _she _is wanted for more than one theft."

She winked at the two in front of her and then sighed again.

"I hope the princess honors her word. I'd hate to be sent to prison over something so stupid," Spectra said.

"We'll get you out… one way or another," Damon promised.

"No. Don't risk your own freedoms for me. If Princess Parfum pulls any shit; forget about me," Spectra ordered.

"Kind of hard to do that. You're pretty unforgettable," Savannah responded.

"Oh, Red… you're just saying that because I ate you out," Spectra replied, "Seriously… don't do something I would do and ruin your lives."

The door opened and the arresting officer ushered Damon and Savannah out of the room.

"We'll help you, Faith! Have faith in us!" Damon called out.

"That joke makes me wanna stay in jail!" Spectra called out after him before the officer closed the door between them.

Damon and Savannah left the police station and met up with Tyrell and Erin, relaying everything that had happened. Their mission was now set. Using the internet and the memory of what the conservationist looked like, the group was able to get into contact with them. It took a couple of days, but they reached Cyllage City, and handed over the PokéFlute. The group then called Parfum Palace and Andrew was sent to collect the PokéFlute, which took a couple more days. Finally, Princess Penelope actually honored her promise and agreed to drop the theft charge against Spectra, so everyone went back to the police station to set her release into motion.

When they reached the police station; however, they discovered it in shambles. Something, or someone had attacked it. The police officer who had arrested Spectra noticed Damon's group. He had a gash on his head and was holding a bloodied rag against it.

"You!" he shouted, "Were any of you responsible for this?"

"Why would we be responsible for destroying a police station?" Savannah asked.

"Because the person or people who did this… they took one thing… Faith Kennedy!" the officer revealed.

Earlier that day, Spectra sat in the corner of her cell with Sparx beside her. She hoped Damon's plan to free her was going over well. They must've been busy getting everything in order. That's why she hadn't seen them in almost half a week. She couldn't wait to be free from this cell. She couldn't wait to get Sparx out of her inhibitor collar. The officer who arrested her approached her cell and cleared his throat to get her attention.

"Your lawyer is here to see you," he told Spectra.

"My… I don't have a…," she responded.

"Hello Ms. Kennedy," Argentum greeted his sister with a calm, but dangerous voice.

Spectra's eyes widened in alarm. She shot to her feet, looking at the police officer in concern.

"Can I have a moment alone with my client?" Argentum asked.

"Of course," the office responded, leaving.

"What're you doing here?" Spectra asked.

"Lilith told me what you did to her. You broke her nose," Argentum revealed.

"She's lucky I didn't break her fucking neck," Spectra spat.

"Language, little sister," Argentum scolded softly, "I thought mother raised you better than that."

"If Mom knew what hell you put me through, she'd fucking disown your fucking ass, so fuck you!" Spectra shouted.

Argentum sighed, becoming quite irritated, so he drew a Pokéball from the inner lining of his coat. He expanded it within his hand and smirked.

"Plug your ears, little sister," Argentum instructed, "Noivern, use Boomburst."

He tossed the Pokéball into the air and it burst open to release the Flying-and-Dragon-type Pokémon. Noivern immediately unleashed an ear-splitting noise that Spectra and Sparx just barely managed to shield their ears from. The concrete, brick, and steel around them shattered from the powerful, booming sound, and a whole section of the police station collapsed. Argentum simply then walked into Spectra's cell and knocked her unconscious with a quick punch. He threw her onto Noivern's back, grabbed Sparx by the scruff of her neck, and flew out of the rubble of the police station as officer and civilians rushed around in every direction.

Damon was shocked at what the officer told him and his friends. Spectra had been broken out of prison and now there was a Region-wide manhunt going on for her. When the officer informed them that a Noivern was responsible, Damon and Savannah immediately knew who broke Spectra out of prison. She had been abducted by her brother, and Arceus knows what she was being put through.

Spectra squirmed against the bindings keeping her arm and legs together by the wrists and ankles respectively. She was in her brother's tent in his camp in the Upper Muraille Coast. Argentum entered his tent and smiled at his younger sister.

"Here we are, my lovely sister," he spoke to her in an ominously calm voice, "One big… happy… family."

His grin became wider and wider to the point that it seriously began creeping Spectra out. She continued struggling against her bindings to the amusement of Argentum.

_To Be Continued…_


End file.
